1 MU employee fired, another on leave amid College of Engineering financial mismanagement investigation

Roger McKinney, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read
A group stops to take photos in front of the historic Columns in front of Jesse Hall in a Tribune file photo during the first day of spring semester 2022 classes.

Brandon Guffey, the director of financial services for the University of Missouri College of Engineering, has been terminated following a preliminary investigation into financial mismanagement in the college.

An internal audit and criminal investigation were launched after the University of Missouri System Office of Ethics, Compliance and Audit Services last week received allegations of financial mismanagement in the engineering college.

There were no dollar amounts listed in a campus message Tuesday from Michelle Piranio, MU chief audit and compliance officer.

That information likely will remain closed until the conclusion of the investigation, said MU spokesman Christian Basi.

Both the internal audit and criminal investigation continue as the finances and practices of the College of Engineering and other areas of the campus are reviewed.

Individuals with access to relevant system information may be placed on administrative leave or have job responsibilities change to help protect the investigation, the campus statement reads. At least one other person has been placed on leave so far.

Anyone with information about the allegations is encouraged to call Detective Ross Turley with the MU Police Department at 573-884-4495 or UM investigator Shawn Hogan at 573-882-1164. Anonymous reports can be made to the UM Integrity and Accountability Hotline at 1-866-447-9821.

"We are very appreciative of the individual who came forward to share suspicions of financial mismanagement," the campus message states. "We continue to work with the MUPD and appreciate all the cooperation and additional information that is being sent to our office."

No criminal charges have been filed at this point, Basi said.

"It is important that we all do everything necessary to ensure the university's resources are protected and are being used to forward our missions of education, teaching, research and outreach," the message concluded.

rmckinney@columbiatribune.com

573-815-1719

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: University of Missouri fires College of Engineering financial director