Get to know Carrie-Jo “CJ” McGuffey, the Senior Investigator and Compliance Officer. She was hired at the beginning of this academic year and is located in the Camel Card office. An internal investigator, she works alongside both Campus Safety and the Division of Institutional Equity and Inclusion.
What exactly is your role on campus?
I am the senior investigator and compliance officer at Connecticut College. This is a new position that reports jointly to the Division of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, which oversees Title IX compliance, and to Campus Safety. My role is to conduct fair and impartial investigations of potential policy violations on campus and to ensure that the College is in compliance with the Clery Act requirements.
What did you do before coming to Conn?
I started my career as a seasonal police officer in Old Lyme, Connecticut, during college. I was hired by the Yale University Police Department in 1993 and worked all aspects of patrol. I was promoted to lieutenant, and in that capacity, was responsible for managing the patrol division, serving as a member of the Emergency Response Team, coordinating all major events and VIP visits, and analyzing crime trends for the supervisors.
In addition, I co-founded a Citizens Police Academy, created a group within my division to provide support and networking assistance for women, assisted in training officers and supervisors, and collaborated with the security education coordinator.
After retiring from Yale, I worked as a private investigator throughout the state. I also conducted investigations of alleged misconduct as a consultant to the Massage Envy Franchise.
What are your goals for this position?
The safety and security of our students and the entire campus community is a top priority at Connecticut College. We are committed to providing a fair and equitable process for investigating complaints of policy violations or misconduct. The main goal for my position is to ensure that our investigations are conducted in a timely manner and are fair, thorough and impartial. We strive to provide a transparent process so that everyone knows what to expect. I am also charged with ensuring that we meet the requirements of the Clery Act. This includes working with our on- and off-campus partners to ensure that all crime statistics are collected and reported.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Although I have only been here a few months, the most rewarding part of my job is working with students to ensure that we have a reliable system and fair process in which everyone has a voice.
What is the most difficult part of your job?
The nature of our work in compliance and investigations is that those involved may not be satisfied with the results of an investigation if it is not resolved in the way they hoped. Managing those expectations can be challenging, but it is an important part of our work.
Who do you work with, and what is your role in the Title IX process?
I work for the Division of Equity and Inclusion under Associate Dean for Equity and Compliance Ebony Manning, who also is the Title IX coordinator. My role within the division is to conduct fair and impartial investigations into Title IX complaints.
I also work for the Department of Campus Safety as a compliance officer under Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Operations Mary Savage. My role with Campus Safety is to collect and report crime statistics, ensure compliance with the Clery Act, identify and train Campus Safety. I am also responsible to review Campus Safety reports and provide training in report writing.
In addition, I work with the Office of Student Life to investigate complaints related to the Student Code of Conduct.
What are some common misconceptions about your role and the investigative process?
Because I work for the College, there is sometimes the misconception that an investigation may not be impartial, but my primary responsibility is to ensure that the process is fair and equitable. Also, we make every effort to explain that a thorough investigation takes time, and we want people to understand that it is important that the process be complete and accurate and include all relevant information.
What do you want Conn students to know about you, Title IX, and/or your position?
The health, welfare and safety of the entire campus community is our highest priority at Connecticut College. In addition to our investigative process, we are committed to educating the campus community about creating a safe and inclusive culture in which we support one another. Conn has also participated in Green Dot, a national violence prevention program, since 2010, and we serve as a national model among colleges and universities. You can find more information about these efforts here.