Former University of Connecticut computer science and engineering lecturer and coordinator of freshman computing education Jeffrey Meunier resigned in January amid an investigation by the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) that revealed that Meunier was having an “amorous” relationship with an undergraduate student. (The Daily Campus/File photo)
Former University of Connecticut computer science and engineering lecturer and coordinator of freshman computing education Jeffrey Meunier resigned in January amid an investigation by the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) that revealed that Meunier was having an “amorous” relationship with an undergraduate student.
“I made a lifestyle choice involving another person. This person is not an engineering student, was never in any of my classes and my acquaintance with whom is unrelated to my employment at UConn,” Meunier wrote in a statement.
In emails obtained by The Daily Campus, Meunier sent his resignation on Jan. 22, 2019 in an email to the Dean of Mechanical Engineering, Kazem Kazerounian. The next day, Jan. 23, Kazerounian accepted the resignation, saying that Meunier left UConn “not in good standing.”
“As you are aware, at the time of your resignation the university had initiated the disciplinary process to terminate your employment for serious misconduct in violation of multiple University policies,” Kazerounian wrote. “The Office of Institutional Equity investigated and concluded that you violated the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Related Interpersonal Violence by engaging in and failing to disclose an amorous relationship between yourself and an undergraduate student. Additionally, I investigated and found that you violated University policies by providing false and/or misleading information (redacted).”
Meunier said he decided to leave before he would have been fired.
“Upon initially learning about my situation through a third party, the UConn administration was obliged to investigate the matter, a result of which was their disapproval of choices that I made. Rather than prolong an already lengthy investigation that I was not enjoying, I chose to leave the university and work elsewhere.”
Kazerounian warned Meunier in his Jan. 23 email not to return to a state job.
“Please be advised that should you return to state employment, appropriate action will be taken in connection with those pending proceedings,” Kazerounian said.
Meunier, according to his LinkedIn, is currently a senior software engineer at Upserve in Providence, Rhode Island.
Sixth-semester education major Matt Oudiz had CSE 1010 with Meunier his freshman year. Oudiz said he was surprised to hear of the reason behind Meunier’s resignation, but did call Meunier “strange.”
“He was a little strange. He never gave me or anyone, I think, any sexual sort of indications. From what I noticed, I don’t think he behaved strangely towards students in that way,” Oudiz said. “I never thought of him being creepy or anything like that.”
Luke Hajdasz is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at luke.hajdasz@uconn.edu.
