Truett McConnell University in northeast Georgia is confronting a serious challenge as the institution has placed its president, Emil Caner, on administrative leave amid allegations that he failed to address claims of sexual abuse by a former administrator. The private Baptist college, comprising around 3,100 students, declared the leave and the initiation of an investigation on Friday. The inquiry will delve into accusations that an ex-administrator and professor sexually abused a woman, who was once a student and later an employee of the university.
As part of their response, trustees at Truett McConnell University have also appointed John Yarborough as acting president, as ABC News reported. The abuse allegations surfaced publicly during a May 29 episode of the Christian podcast The Roys Report, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. The woman at the heart of the allegations claims the assaults occurred at the administrator's home during Bible study sessions. Following the podcast's revelations, the university noted it was first alerted to the potential misconduct in February 2024. The university stated that they became aware when the accused individual disclosed their ongoing investigation by the White County Sheriff’s Office "regarding an inappropriate relationship."
Truett McConnell University, striving to manage the situation, ended the accused administrator's employment swiftly after learning of the investigation and subsequently discovered "hundreds" of "sexually-explicit and theologically-twisted" emails sent from a personal account. While the Sheriff's Office ceased pursuing criminal charges citing insufficient evidence, the former student's lawyer, Marcia Shein, claimed the university had been aware of the claims for a longer period. Shein alleged that previous complaints, including a petition regarding the administrator's misconduct, were ignored by the institution. "The university knew about the claims well before 2024," Shein told FOX 5 Atlanta. The university countered by asserting it takes all sexual misconduct allegations gravely, and had a formal complaint been filed, it would have led to an immediate investigation and the administrator's dismissal.
Compounding the controversy, the former student has not pursued legal action against the university due to Georgia's statute of limitations for civil lawsuits, which spans four years. According to information shared by her lawyer, Shein, White County District Attorney Jeff Langley is revisiting the case. Local alumni have expressed discontent with the university's handling of the situation. During a trustees' meeting on campus, a number of alumni demonstrated, including 2017 graduate Brianna Derryberry, who questioned the university's silence on the matter. "Your silence says more than your slogan," Derryberry's sign read, underscoring her conviction that truths have been concealed within the institution. "I truly believe that there has been a lot that has been covered up," Derryberry conveyed to WDUN-AM, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
