(AP) — Officials at Evangel University say the college in Springfield will eliminate 12 staff positions, beginning Jan. 3

Carol Taylor, Evangel’s president-elect and CEO, announced Thursday that seven currently vacant staff positions won’t be filled and six faculty contracts will not be renewed in the fall. Some current jobs will be consolidated.

The school said in a news release that the moves come as the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Central Bible College and Evangel merge.

The university says it has reduced its budget by just over $1 million, a 2.7 percent reduction from last year.

Evangel is a Christian university with a seminary in Springfield. The university has more than 2,500 students from 48 states and abroad.