ORIGINALLY POSTED: 11:15 AM September 27, 2001 UPDATED: 4:00 PM September 27, 2001

A Family’s Desperate Hour. Classmates devastated.

Shortly before 9:00 am Thursday, Frank Zinn reported for classes at Indiana Wesleyan University like any other student. He would not make it through the day. That fateful morning over at Room 250, he was in Jerry Harrell’s office and Zinn was informed he was dismissed or dis-enrolled. Here is the letter Zinn shared that is edited from the original.

Dear Mr. Zinn, In the past four weeks at Indiana Wesleyan University, it has become apparent that the environment is not conducive for you to gain the education that you desire and/or to fulfill the goals you have set for your life. The stress of college life has impounded your ability to care for yourself along with the academic standards that we have set for you here at this institution. You told Mr. Harrell you were failing your classes. Your professors also told him incompletion of assignments was done on your behalf. You told me you were not getting enough food, being forced to move from one place to another, issues with family, guarding your home against thieves, financial, and transportation difficulties. You lack sufficient coping skills, Mr. Zinn. You created an intervention on 9/25. As of today, you are to leave this institution immediately and not have access to IWU property. If you want to return to IWU, you must submit three documents for readmission: 1. A signed release to IWU Student Support Services to have open communication to have psychiatric services and/or psychological support. 2. We want documentation that you are psychologically stable, consistently taking medication and not a threat to anyone at IWU. 3. We also want documented assurance that you will have the skills necessary that upon your return that you will have the skills necessary needed to perform at IWU. Jennie Conrad’s (edited) letter to Frank Zinn (now Ava Zinn) on September 27, 2001

This is a breaking news story, and we will have more information as soon as it becomes available. UPDATED 4:00 PM September 27, 2001 Mr. Zinn spoke to Dr. Vance Maloney at Life Center Counseling to discuss the aformetioned letter and the meeting with Ms. Conrad and Mr. Harrell. Mr. Zinn also spoke to Vocational Rehabilitation about next steps for his education.