Emir Caner, former president of Truett McConnell University, has filed a lawsuit claiming trustees breached his contract when they terminated him in September 2025 after an investigation into how the university handled sexual misconduct complaints involving fo
When Emir Caner learned he had been removed from his job as president of Truett McConnell University, the dispute didn’t end with the vote. It moved into court.
Caner filed a lawsuit on June 5 in White County Superior Court. alleging the university’s Board of Trustees breached his employment contract when they terminated him last year. In the complaint. he is seeking damages. attorney fees and other relief tied to the dismissal. which the board approved in September 2025.
The lawsuit follows a controversy that unfolded over months. Trustees first placed Caner on administrative leave and later voted to terminate him. The record of that action includes a 19-10 vote to end his employment after allegations surfaced involving his handling of sexual misconduct complaints involving former university officials.
Caner says he served as TMU’s president for more than 17 years and signed a 10-year contract extension in 2021. That agreement was scheduled to run through June 30, 2031. In the complaint. he argues the university could only terminate him for cause and that trustees did not have sufficient grounds to do so.
At the center of Caner’s lawsuit is what he characterizes as the university’s handling of a key figure tied to the controversy. The complaint points to Bradley Reynolds. who served as the Academic Services Vice President and was terminated in 2024 after disclosing he was under investigation for sexual misconduct. Caner alleges he had no prior knowledge of Reynolds’ alleged misconduct before Reynolds informed him of the investigation.
Caner’s filing also describes steps he says he took before Reynolds was removed. The complaint states that Caner consulted with university counsel before terminating Reynolds and providing a severance package. It further alleges that he informed trustees shortly afterward and that the board took no action against him at that time.
Caner says the board’s posture changed after a report published in May 2025 by The Roys Report. which the complaint says examined the Reynolds-related allegations and questioned how university leaders handled the matter. The filing says one week after the report’s publication, trustees suspended Caner and launched an investigation.
Trustees ultimately voted on Sept. 25, 2025, to terminate Caner’s employment. According to the complaint. the board cited Caner’s handling of Reynolds’ investigation and termination as the grounds for dismissing him. Caner disputes that justification and argues that none of the reasons cited by trustees amounted to a breach of his employment agreement.
The lawsuit spells out what Caner says he lost due to the termination. He is seeking recovery for compensation and benefits that he claims ended early—despite nearly six years remaining on the contract. The complaint lists his base salary as $272,639.69 annually, with additional increases tied to inflation, university milestones and graduation rates. It also states the annual value of his benefits exceeded $133. 000. including housing. health benefits. retirement benefits. a university vehicle and other contractual benefits.
Caner alleges the university prematurely terminated the contract and is asking the court for actual, compensatory and other damages to be determined at trial. He is also seeking attorney fees and litigation expenses.
The filing, the court paper itself makes clear, contains only Caner’s allegations. Truett McConnell University will have the chance to respond in court.
Georgia reached out to Truett McConnell University and Caner’s attorney, Andrew Coffman, for comment on the lawsuit. Neither had responded prior to publication.
Emir Caner Truett McConnell University Board of Trustees lawsuit employment contract termination White County Superior Court Bradley Reynolds sexual misconduct complaints The Roys Report administrative leave attorney fees