Chancellor Eric Fingerhut, leader of the Ohio Board of Regents, could have taken the easy way out. And he considered it. Gov. Ted Strickland had ordered him, along with many other leaders of state agencies, to trim 4.75 percent from his budget to fix a large state deficit.  His first plan was to cut the funding for a variety of programs.

But Fingerhut chose a different course of action. Rather than make cuts that could force layoffs at Shawnee State and Central State universities, Fingerhut laid off five senior administrators, decided to leave another five positions vacant, combined two jobs and — most notably — took a 4.75 percent pay cut himself. His salary will drop from $196,019 to $186,708, a $9,311 cut. Altogether, Fingerhut’s plan will save Ohio $700,000.

While Fingerhut certainly won’t be filing for bankruptcy after taking that pay cut, he nonetheless demonstrated his commitment to Ohio education by being willing to sacrifice from his own salary. He deserves recognition for acting like a responsible leader in times of financial difficulty. Certainly few people would be willing to do so. In fact, even in times of financial struggle, some so-called leaders accept raises without qualms.  

Perhaps other educational leaders around Ohio should wise up and take note.    

Editorials represent the views of The Post’s executive editors.