Truett McConnell University announced Friday afternoon that its president, Dr. Emir Caner, has been placed on administrative leave as it begins to launch a third-party investigation into allegations of sexual assault by a former vice president of the school.
TMU issued the statement on social media, saying the decisions came during a Board of Trustees meeting held Friday morning, which it says was held out of "genuine concern" and with "broken hearts."
"The Chairman (Robby Foster) brought three proposals which he presented to the trustees. After a healthy discussion, the three proposals were made into a recommendation," the statement from TMU said.
Those three proposals included launching a third-party investigation, which will be conducted by Richard Hyde with Phoenix Research, LLC. It also included placing Caner on administrative leave until the completion of that investigation and appointing the university's Director of Alumni and Public Policy Dr. John Yarborough as acting president.
Those proposals were unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees.
"We request that you continue to pray for the entire TMU family and all parties involved," the school's statement said.
While the board met, roughly 30 alumni gathered outside of TMU’s Odell Hall in Cleveland, just days after former student Hayle Swinson publicly stated that she had experienced sexual abuse from Dr. Brad Reynolds during her time as a student and staff member between 2013 and 2018.
Event organizer Heather Pillsbury graduated from TMU in 2000. She said the group had several calls to action, including wanting a third-party investigation into the allegations and more transparency from the school’s administration.
“We think an unbiased third-party investigation is the most important thing,” Pillsbury said. “Just to uncover any possible wrongdoings and that those things will be brought to light, and the people accountable would be held to a standard that the church and Christ would have them to be.”
The group chanted “we will pray for you” as board members entered the building, supposedly to discuss the allegations and decide on actions moving forward. The University had previously issued a statement on May 30 stating that they had learned in early 2024 that White County authorities were investigating Reynolds' involvement in an inappropriate relationship. He was reportedly placed on administrative leave and later removed from his position.
The White County Sheriff’s Office did not charge Reynolds at the time of the initial investigation.
Among the protesters was Brianna Derryberry, a 2017 TMU alumna. Holding a sign reading “Your silence says more than your slogan,” she expressed that she believes some at the university have not been entirely transparent through their communication with community members regarding the allegations against Reynolds.
“I truly believe that there has been a lot that has been covered up,” Derryberry said. “I've just been praying that the darkness won't be there anymore and that the truth will come out. I know that God holds all of our tomorrows, and we're here today to stand up for what's right and for justice and for truth to come out and praying that no other student, no other woman, anybody on campus, would ever have to go through what Hayle and any of the other victims have gone through.”
The group also held a worship and prayer service the night before the protest. The event attracted several alumni, some of whom traveled from as far as Texas to show support for Swinson, Pillsbury said.
A Facebook page for the event also stated that the group demands “immediate disciplinary action against any individual, regardless of position, found to have committed abuse, contributed to a cover-up, or failed to act on credible reports of abuse.”
Many group members expressed concern that reports of abuse by faculty members from current and future students of the university may be ignored if no accountability is held now.
Tobie Williams held a sign stating, “My girls aren’t safe at TMU”. Williams and her husband are both alumni of the school. A mother of two daughters, she shared that she worries about the safety of female students in the future.
“A Christian college should be the safest place for our girls, and we just don't feel like that is what's going on,” Williams said. “Definitely with all the stories that we have heard and all the personal things from different alumni that we know are true.”
Caylin Carter, a former soccer player for the school, shared that she knew Swinson personally at the time the alleged abuse was taking place. Carter recalled witnessing interactions between her and Reynalds, calling the dynamic “predatory”.
“I witnessed the inappropriate relationship that she was subjected to with Brad Reynolds,” Carter said. “I was kind of honestly just a witness to a lot of a culture of just secrecy and just keeping things in the darkness that should have been out in the open, and just inappropriate things and a predatory relationship.”
Carter said during her time on the team, players were encouraged by their coach to have a personal relationship with the former vice president. Reynolds was reportedly frequently with the team during games and practices at the time Swinson was also involved with the program.
In a statement issued on Friday, May 30, TMU denied Swinson’s claims that the administration did not take her claims of sexual misconduct 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.
Click the photo at the top of the article and then click the arrow to see photos by Lawson Smith of the Friday morning protest at TMU.
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