NAMPA, Idaho (AP) — The head of a small western Idaho Christian college has put on hold plans to lay off six people.

The Idaho Statesman reports that Northwest Nazarene University President David Alexander announced his decision in an email to staff on Saturday. He says the affected staff members can continue teaching while a panel reviews his budget changes. More than three-quarters of the faculty members cast votes of no confidence in Alexander last week.

They say he did not consult faculty during a $1.3 million budget reshuffle. Some critics assert that Thomas Oord, a tenured religion professor, was slated to lose his job because of theological differences with the university.

Alexander, who has held his post since 2008, says it was not a consideration. Northwest Nazarene University is a liberal arts school with more than 1,300 undergraduate and 700 graduate students.

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