Truett McConnell University has issued a statement after an alumnus and former employee publicly issued allegations of sexual assault by a former vice president of the school.
Hayle Swinson made the comments on an episode of "The Roys Report" podcast published by Julie Roys on YouTube on Thursday, May 29. The podcast has over 16,000 views as of Monday afternoon.
Swinson, who attended the university in Cleveland on a soccer scholarship, was later employed by the university from 2013 through 2018. She claimed the assaults took place at the hands of Dr. Brad Reynolds between her senior year of school and when she left in 2018.
Swinson said the assaults happened when she went to Reynolds' home for Bible studies.
"Their kids and his wife would watch me walk down the stairs (into the home's basement,)" Swinson said on the podcast. "It moved from 'can I hold your hand while we pray' to...now he's rubbing my back, then his hand would progress and move to where he's touching my breast, or times where he would put his hand on my leg and then his hand would move into my shorts."
Swinson also accused Reynolds of manipulative behavior during the sessions.
"All of this was laced with 'this is God's will for you,'" Swinson said. "I was sexually abused and manipulated, I was groomed, I was confused, I was targeted. I felt isolated."
Swinson's allegations included claims that Reynolds sent sexually explicit emails to her during the course of the abuse.
The statement issued by TMU on social media on Friday, May 30 said they were first informed of the allegations in early 2024.
"In February 2024, Dr. Reynolds notified TMU leadership that he was under investigation by the White County Sheriff's Office regarding an inappropriate relationship," the statement said. "Dr. Reynolds was immediately placed on administrative leave and his employment with TMU ended in a matter of days."
The university said that they were later informed by the sheriff's office that no criminal charges were being filed against Reynolds due to a lack of evidence. TMU officials, however, said they stand behind their decision to end their relationship with him.
"While local law enforcement decided not to pursue charges, the fact remains that Dr. Reynolds' behavior was abhorrent, immoral, manipulative and unethical," TMU's statement said. "As was expressed more than once in a Friday afternoon faculty and staff meeting, we are all shocked and disgusted to learn of his secret side."
Swinson disputed TMU's claim that school administrators were unaware of Reynolds' behavior prior to early 2024.
"We learned in the investigation that (TMU President Dr. Emir Caner) was made aware multiple times through multiple years of different things that (Reynolds) was doing to me, or just inappropriate behavior, and he didn't to anything then," Swinson said.
Swinson also raised other allegations against the school, claiming that administrators were referring to allegations of misconduct by Reynolds as "gossip" and that 50 female students and staff at the university signed a petition complaining about Reynolds' behavior, but that the petition was "shut down."
Swinson's allegations also included claims that the university's Title IX coordinator, Jonathan Morris, had reported some of Reynolds' behavior towards Swinson, but that he was soon fired. TMU officials said Morris' firing was unrelated to the Reynolds allegations.
"The facts are that he was asked to resign after a series of unauthorized, personal expenses on his University-issued credit card totaling over $12,000," TMU's statement said. "In one instance, Morris charged a $7,000 personal expense to his TMU credit card shortly after requesting a credit limit increase to pay for freshman orientation expenses."
Swinson's attorney, Marcia G. Shein, also spoke on the podcast, saying that one Georgia legislator has agreed to introduce a bill in the 2026 session that would increase the statute of limitations for sexual assault cases by up to 10 to 15 years from its current four-year limit.
Swinson said she hopes her story leads to change at the university.
"My prayer is that my story and the stories of other victims that were discovered over the last decade at Truett McConnell University would no longer be dismissed, but heard, so that it will help make it possible for no other girl to be a victim on this campus ever again," Swinson said. "I hope there's some changes in procedures, changes in policy, but also changes in leadership that have continued to just deny, and not believe people for over a decade of what's happened at their school."
TMU officials denied the claims by Swinson that they did not take her complaints seriously.
"When complaints of sexual discrimination, harassment or other misconduct are reported, investigations are promptly initiated and timely concluded," the university's statement said. "Truett McConnell University encourages alleged misconduct to be reported as soon as possible. Every TMU employee is trained to bring reports of alleged misconduct to the Title IX or HR office."
