A former student at Southwest Technical College in Fennimore faces a disorderly conduct charge regarding a threat that shut down the college on Wednesday.

The school says a student found a threatening voice mail on her cell phone early that morning, warning her not to come to class because there would be a gun on campus.

College administrators sent an e-mail telling students classes were canceled because of maintenance problems. President Karen Knox sent a second e-mail later, telling of the gun threat. She says the initial e-mail was sent because she didn't want to alarm students.

Now 24-year-old Jeremy Heins of Platteville is charged in Grant County Circuit Court with disorderly conduct. According to the criminal complaint, Heins says he left the message as a joke after having some cocktails, and he never meant to bring a gun to the college or harm anyone.

Knox says the resulting disruption was no joke. She estimates the payroll cost alone from closing the school for the day to be at least $40,000.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)