FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) — The president of Franklin College has been fired after being arrested on sex crimes involving a child.

Thomas Minar had led the college for almost five years.

Now some told News 8 they got a weird vibe from him.

Nikole Fauser is a sophomore elementary education major. She saw the email announcement in the second-grade classroom where she’s student teaching.

“I was distraught. I did not know what to say, didn’t know what to think,” she said. “I was definitely, ‘Whoa.’”

Minar, 56, was arrested on Jan. 6. The college said it was made aware of the arrest over the weekend and terminated him.

“This is crazy. I see him every day, all day,” Fauser said.

She and others tell us, Minar was often seen on and around campus and often ate at the cafeteria.

Fauser said he gave her a “weird vibe” because he got too close to her personal bubble.

“I just felt like I needed to have an adult or someone else with me talking to him,” she said. “I feel like some of my other friends could say the same thing.”

Freshmen students are invited to meet Minar at the President’s House every fall for a social.

Others like sophomore finance major Garett Hill said they never got a hint of this.

“I don’t know if anyone could have been prepared to see anything like that,” he said.

When Minar announced he was stepping down last summer, trustees praised him for successful fundraising efforts including a new $17 million science center, a new strategic plan as well as an improved student experience.

He now faces charges of child enticement, exposing a child to harmful materials and using a computer to facilitate a sex crime.

Scott McCluskey is engaged to a Franklin student.

“You never know who’s going to do that kind of stuff. It’s pretty sad to hear that,” he said.

Students like Hill have faith in the college’s trustees to pick the right person to lead Franklin.

“I didn’t come here because of a president,” he said.

“I think they should do a lot more in-depth background checks,” added Peighton Zebrowski.

The arrest was in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, about 45 minutes northeast of Green Bay.

Franklin College is launching its own investigation. They released a statement but refused all interview requests Monday.

Jim Due, the chair of the Board of Trustees released this statement:

“The safety of our campus community – especially our students – is always our first priority. We are deeply shocked and gravely concerned by the reported behavior of Dr. Minar that led to his arrest in Wisconsin, and we will continue to cooperate fully with authorities. As in other times of difficulty during the college’s 186-year history, our community will come together in support of one another as we continue to educate the innovative leaders of our future.”

Lori Schroeder, Provest and Dean of Franklin is serving as interim President until the Board of Trustees names an acting President later this week.

Minar was the 16th president in the college’s history. Previously he was the vice president for development and alumni relations at American University in Washington, D.C. He also worked for 23 years at institutions in Illinois. He is a graduate and trustee of Pomona College in Claremont, California.