Colleges and universities across the nation are facing mounting pressure to remove the names of major donors linked to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, as students and faculty question whether those associations align with institutional values.
The largest outcry has come at Ohio State University, where protests have intensified over the continued use of the name of billionaire retail magnate Les Wexner, the school’s largest donor, whose name appears on multiple campus buildings, including the Columbus campus’s medical center, reports The New York Times on Thursday.
Wexner, an OSU alumnus, has been identified in government documents as a potential "co-conspirator" and longtime associate of Epstein, though he has strongly denied wrongdoing.
In a recent House committee deposition, Wexner said he had been "conned" by Epstein, and a spokesman also said a U.S. attorney informed him in 2019 that he was not a target of any investigation.
Harvard University is also weighing similar concerns about the Wexner name.
Students and faculty at the Harvard Kennedy School have formally requested the removal of Wexner's name from a building and atrium, saying its presence sends "an unintended signal of institutional tolerance of his conduct."
"This inflicts psychological harm on visitors, students, staff, faculty, and, particularly, survivors of sexual assault," the proposal states.
Other colleges are weighing similar concerns about buildings named for benefactors whose names appear in the Epstein files.
At Haverford College in Pennsylvania, students have called for the removal of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's name from a campus library. Lutnick donated $25 million to the school in 2014.
Lutnick said he distanced himself from Epstein after a 2005 visit to his townhouse, but later acknowledged traveling with his family to Epstein's private island in 2012, years after Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Haverford President Wendy Raymond said the issue is under review.
"I am taking this complex issue under deep consideration," she wrote to the campus community.
The college's naming policy emphasizes balance, warning against "oversimplifying, revising, or erasing history" while also stating that names inconsistent with its mission or harmful to inclusiveness may warrant removal.
At Tufts University, the student newspaper has urged administrators to remove the name of film producer Steve Tisch from campus buildings, citing his association with Epstein.
Tisch has denied any wrongdoing, describing the relationship as "a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments."
The push for renaming follows the Justice Department’s release earlier this year of millions of documents detailing Epstein’s connections with wealthy and influential figures.
While many of those individuals have not been accused of crimes, the disclosures have intensified scrutiny of their ties to academic institutions.
So far, universities have largely resisted immediate action. Renaming buildings can involve lengthy review processes, approval from trustees, and potential legal or financial consequences, including whether donations must be returned.
At Ohio State, a university spokesman said officials have received about 470 requests related to the Wexner name and that the matter is under review.
John Thelin, a University of Kentucky professor emeritus who studies higher education, said naming buildings after donors has long been standard practice.
"It is something of an American tradition," he said. "What I can't figure out is what are the limits? Where does someone cross the lines in terms of what is acceptable?"
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