University of Hawaii President David Lassner’s success in fighting off severe budget cuts from the Legislature was a refreshing show of rational conflict resolution in these contentious times.

Senate Higher Education Chairwoman Donna Mercado Kim caused a stir when she eliminated 121 specific faculty positions at Manoa, claiming the occupants weren’t actively teaching or doing grant-funded research.

Another 100 vacant positions throughout the UH system were slashed as part of reductions totaling $30 million.

The cuts alarmed administration and faculty as heavy-handed and contrary to the university’s constitutional right to autonomy in running its affairs without legislative micromanagement.

While faculty pelted lawmakers with angry calls and emails, Lassner coolly gathered his data and trekked to the Capitol to show legislators that faculty targeted to be cut were carrying their weight in teaching and research — and half were funded with federal or private grants.

Kim backed off, and the positions were restored, along with most other UH cuts, when Senate and House conferees took up the budget.

You’d think the faculty would give Lassner a pat on the back for getting the job done without adding to the toxic drama.

Instead, the faculty union presented the Board of Regents with a vote of no confidence in the president — essentially for working diligently with legislators to fix the dispute instead of publicly ranting and raving.

“Continuing to kowtow to the whims of legislators will only lead to more of the same types of inappropriate micromanagement,” said Lynne Wilkens, president of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly. “We need a strong leader who is willing to draw the line.”

Never mind that Lassner achieved the desired result without creating bad blood that could poison future UH budgets; these days, if you’re not posting angry tweets and calling people ugly names, you’re not in the game.

Lassner shrugged it off as a difference with UHPA on legislative strategy. “We made it a priority to reverse those cuts as quickly as possible, and we succeeded,” he said.

Lassner displays untiring poise in doing one of the toughest jobs in the state, with diverse and often competing constituencies to satisfy.

He’s shown fierce commitment to UH, where he worked in a variety of academic and administrative positions before being named president in 2013 following the turbulent reign of M.R.C. Greenwood.

He took the job for $100,000 less than his predecessor, didn’t demand a long-term contract or golden retirement parachute and declined several pay raises he was due.

Now Lassner has assumed the role of Manoa chancellor in addition to UH system president without raising his $375,000 salary, streamlining UH governance and saving $400,000 a year from when there were two jobs paid separately in the Greenwood era.

It gets him a vote of confidence here.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.