June 22, 2025
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The Board of Trustees at Truett McConnell University (TMU) took decisive action Friday, June 6, in response to calls for accountability following serious allegations of sexual misconduct and institutional mishandling. The meeting follows a May 2025 report that alleged abuse by former Senior Vice President Dr. Brad Reynolds and raised questions about how university leadership responded.
Trustees expressed a deep sense of responsibility and unanimously approved a recommendation that includes a third-party investigation and administrative changes.
Robby Foster, chairman of the TMU Board of Trustees and senior pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta, addressed the group of alumni gathered outside the board meeting, affirming their voices had been heard. “We have tried our best to listen to you. We respect the fact that you are here today,” he said. “We have listened carefully, we have prayed intently, and we have asked God for favor.”
“The Board of Trustees met out of genuine concern... with broken hearts to address allegations of sexual abuse regarding Hayle Swinson, or any others,” their official statement read.
The recommendation calls for an investigation led by Richard Hyde of Phoenix Research LLC, the placement of President Dr. Emir Caner on administrative leave pending the outcome, and the appointment of Dr. John Yarbrough as acting president.
This action follows a growing movement by TMU alumni and supporters calling for transparency, biblical accountability, and reform. Signed by over 550 alumni, one petition expressed concerns about administrative responses and emphasized the need for systemic review and institutional repentance.
“This is not only a moral obligation, but a spiritual one,” the alumni letter stated. “Anything less undermines the gospel it claims to proclaim.”
In a show of unity and deep concern, alumni met for a prayer and worship service on the eve of the board meeting. The following morning, they organized a stand in outside TMU’s Odell Hall — a peaceful gathering marked by signs and ongoing prayer as trustees met inside.
“I love this school," declared Stephen Folker, a 2006 alumnus and worship pastor in Montgomery, Alabama. "Truett is where God called me to ministry,” he said. “I was heartbroken, I was mad, I was angry and wanted to be a part of helping to bring the truth to the light.”
For Folker, biblical accountability means approaching correction with the goal of reconciliation. “Accountability in a biblical way is held in love and gentleness,” he said. “Because the ultimate hope is that reconciliation happens. Paul writes in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 5:18) that we are ministers of reconciliation.”
Heather Pillsbury, a 2007 graduate and lead organizer, made clear that the demonstration was driven by affection, not antagonism. “We’re here because we love this school.”
Pillsbury emphasized the effort was not about removing leadership. “It’s none of our desire to see Dr. Caner stripped of his presidency,” she said. “We’re not trying to tear anybody down. But in our desire for justice, you have to be ready for the consequences of actions.”
At the Thursday night prayer and worship service, alumna and former staff member Trista Blankenship offered a heartfelt prayer: “That Your name would not be shamed through this, but would be honored and glorified. That there would be more than grace upon the school — that there would be full revival. Pour redemption on the school, that we could stand with it again as people who are honored to call it our home.”
In a detailed statement released before the board's meeting, TMU clarified the timeline of events, stating that Reynolds was placed on administrative leave in February 2024 after notifying leadership that he was under investigation by the White County Sheriff’s Office. The statement described Reynolds’ actions as “abhorrent, immoral, manipulative, and unethical,” and added that external reviews found no documented complaints prior to 2024.
Georgia Baptist leadership weighed in with a public statement supporting accountability and care for victims. “Abusive behavior is an abhorrent evil that causes unspeakable suffering,” the statement said. “We must remain steadfast in our resolve to care for victims with compassion and confront and reform any culture that permits such cruelties to occur.”
Following the trustees’ decision, Concerned Truett Alumni — the group that sponsored the petition — expressed gratitude for the board’s unanimous action and affirmed their prayers for all those involved. They called the investigation “a critical step toward accountability and healing,” and encouraged a process that is thorough, independent, and guided by biblical wisdom. The group voiced continued support for transparency and expressed hope that this difficult season would ultimately lead to restoration and renewed gospel faithfulness.
The board’s action marked a significant response to a difficult situation. While the outcome of the investigation remains ahead, alumni and leaders alike expressed hope that the process will bring needed clarity and restoration.
“We all serve one God,” Foster told the alumni. “We want to do everything we can in a biblical manner, just like you."
