by Jerry Grillo and
Denise Etheridge
White County News
The Truett McConnell University Board of Trustees has placed President Emir Caner on administrative leave pending a third-party investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and a cover-up. The board met on campus Friday, June 6, as a small group of alumni and supporters held a peaceful protest nearby, carrying signs that read, “Truth is Immortal”—a phrase taught to TMU students.
The move follows a podcast and article featuring former student and employee Hayle Swinson, who accused former vice president of academic services Bradley Reynolds of years of psychological manipulation and sexual abuse. Swinson also alleged university leaders, including Caner, protected Reynolds and silenced dissent. Reynolds resigned following a White County Sheriff’s Office investigation in February–March 2024.
An internal email from a TMU administrator advising faculty to stay silent has also surfaced.
After Friday’s meeting, the trustees announced immediate steps: a third-party investigation will be led by Richard Hyde of Phoenix Research LLC; Caner was placed on leave; and Dr. John Yarbrough was appointed acting president.
Yarbrough has a long history with TMU. He
graduated in 1969, served on the Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2011, and has held several positions, including Director of Alumni and Public Policy. He was president of the Georgia Baptist Convention from 1994 to 1996. Yarbrough, who lives in Cleveland, also serves on the White County Planning Commission.
As of press time, TMU leadership declined further comment. “TMU will not have any further comment beyond the statement made by the Trustees this past Friday,” noted Stacy Hall, vice president of advancement, in an email.
Culture of Silence
Former students and staff say a culture of silence at TMU helped enable the cover-up. Brianna Jo Lewallen, who attended TMU from 2014 to 2018 and again from 2021 to 2022, helped organize Friday’s protest. She said many staff members, asked to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), might have spoken out otherwise.
As recently as last year, TMU administrators discouraged faculty from discussing Reynolds’ resignation. In a March 5, 2024 email, Dean of the College of Arts and Letters Maël Disseau advised staff not to share details, framing criticism of the school as a spiritual distraction.
“It is wiser that details not be shared,” he wrote. “The thirst for details is really just to quench our curiosity.”
Protestors say this mindset reflects a broader unwillingness to confront abuse. Lewallen was among at least 50 people who signed a petition in 2018–2019 asking that Reynolds be investigated. Caner has denied seeing it.
“We took this information to our boss, Jonathan Morris, to advocate for the safety of Truett students,” Lewallen stated. Morris brought it to Chris Eppling, then vice president of student services. “We can attest there was a list, and there were at least 50 names, to our recall.”
Lewallen said they trusted school leadership and didn’t think to keep a copy. She doesn’t know if Eppling ever passed it along to the trustees. Neither Morris nor Eppling—both allegedly fired for supporting the students—have responded to the News’ inquiries.
Complaints Ignored
Several former students say TMU leadership ignored complaints about Reynolds.
“Dr. Reynolds wasn’t a coach, but he had an unusually close relationship with the women’s soccer team,” said Maria Kayondo, who played from 2014 to 2016.
Reynolds traveled with the team and hosted swimming pool parties at his home. According to Kayondo, Coach McDowell encouraged players to meet with Reynolds individually.
“We’d meet in his office and he would sit so close — so close,” she said. “In Bible class, he talked inappropriately about sex all the time. He was so much about sex!”
Kayondo said she came to TMU hoping it would be a healing place rooted in Christian counseling.
“But Dr. Reynolds used his position to get close to vulnerable students,” she said. “He used his position to gain our trust. We were so naive.”