Following the January dismissal of Reginald McDonald, former Tennessee State Aristocrat of Bands director, new reporting by The Tennesseean details excessive spending by McDonald on band activities, particularly on security services and lavish travel. McDonald, who had been the band director since 2015 and worked for Tennessee State for 24 years, was placed on paid administrative leave in January before his subsequent firing. While Tennessee State released a statement confirming McDonald's administrative leave, it did not explicitly detail the reasons for the action.
Records obtained by The Tennessean indicated that McDonald spent significant university funds on external security services for band trips in 2022 and 2023. These records show McDonald hired Florida-based companies Rico Reed Bail Bonds and Secure Tech Services. This included filing nearly $13,000 in expenses for security, as well as an additional $8,824 for band trips to the Atlanta area in October 2022, February 2023, and October 2023.
Further flagged expenses, also obtained by The Tennessean, showed large expenditures related to band travel at a time when the university was navigating significant financial turmoil. For instance, a trip to the Wild Dunes Resort in North Carolina in November 2023 brought expenses exceeding $135,000, including approximately $75,000 for room and board and $60,000 for meals for the 300 students on the trip. Additionally, the band’s trip to the Southern Heritage Classic in September 2023 to play the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff totaled $82,000.
The large amounts of money being spent by the Aristocrats of Bands came at a critical time for the institution. Tennessee State University has faced increased scrutiny from state lawmakers over financial decisions made by the administration over the past two years.
This scrutiny led to the previous Tennessee State board of directors being vacated, with Governor Bill Lee appointing a new board featuring several Tennessee State alumni. Dwayne Tucker officially assumed the role of president in August 2025, having previously served in an interim capacity. McDonald's investigation and ultimate firing occurred amid this institutional push for greater financial accountability.
