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Business and economy news and issues in the Ozarks.

Evangel to Reduce Staff, Cut Budget by More Than $1 Million

Photo credit: Evangel University

Evangel University says it will lay off 12 staff members at the Springfield school, as part of 25 position reductions effective next year. KSMU’s Scott Harvey reports.

http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/evangel-reduce-staff-cut-budget-more-1-million_74328.mp3

Evangel says budget reductions were required to address “operational deficiencies and some job redundancies,” noting the issues became evident upon consolidating with the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and Central Bible College.

Evangel Spokesman Paul Logsdon says that upon consolidation, all faculty were guaranteed positions through April 2014.

“Quite a number of faculty members went on to other positions. Quite a few came here, and at this point, being spread across the three campuses, we are reducing by six in the faculty area,” Logsdon said.

As for the 12 staff layoffs, that’s effective Jan. 3, with benefits and salaries continuing through the end of next month. Additionally, seven current vacancies will not be filled. With the faculty and staff reductions, plus other cuts to operating expenses, Evangel says they’ll reduce their budget by more than $1 million, or 2.7 percent.

In a release, Evangel President-Elect/CEO Dr. Carol Taylor said that all budget considerations are based on an assessment of operations with four priorities; including guarding the school’s mission, protecting Evangel’s ability to deliver quality programs, and minimizing impact on salaries and benefits.

She also noted that work at the school “is taking place within the larger context of challenges facing all of higher education with national declines in both the number of traditional college-age population and funding.”

Evangel University is a Christian university of arts, sciences and professions with an embedded seminary. The university says they have over 2,500 students that come from 48 states and abroad.

The news Thursday marked the second time in three months that a Springfield university had announced intentions to reduce staff. In October, Drury University announced they would lay off about 10 employees and eliminate 35 positions due to a decline in enrollment.