US Universities Face Mounting Pressure to Remove Epstein Associates' Names from Campus Buildings
Protests are intensifying across American universities as students, faculty, and alumni demand the removal of names associated with the late sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein from campus buildings. Institutions from Ohio to Massachusetts are grappling with the ethical implications of honoring donors whose legacies are now tainted by their connections to Epstein.
Ohio State University at the Center of Controversy
At Ohio State University, persistent demonstrations have occurred despite challenging weather conditions, with protesters calling for billionaire retail mogul Les Wexner's name to be stripped from multiple campus facilities. The controversy centers on Wexner's well-documented association with Jeffrey Epstein, which has sparked outrage among various campus groups.
Union nurses at the Wexner Medical Center, former athletes at the Les Wexner Football Complex, and student leaders who frequent the Wexner Center for the Arts near the campus oval have all voiced concerns about maintaining these honorific names given Wexner's Epstein ties.
A group of former Ohio State athletes who survived a sexual abuse scandal at the institution argues that Wexner's generosity to his alma mater is now irrevocably compromised. Their formal naming removal request states: "Ohio State University cannot credibly separate itself from these facts, nor can it justify continuing to honor Les Wexner with an athletic facility. To do so is to ignore the voices of survivors, former athletes, and the broader community who expect accountability, transparency, and moral leadership."
Harvard University Faces Similar Demands
At Harvard University, students and faculty at the prestigious Kennedy School have targeted the Leslie H. Wexner Building and the Wexner-Sunshine Lobby for renaming. The March submission cites Wexner's "strong ties to Epstein" and argues that Epstein profited from his relationship with Wexner, "which enabled Epstein to use his wealth and power to traffic and abuse children and women."
Additional pressure has emerged regarding Farkas Hall, named following a significant donation from Andrew Farkas, graduate chairman of the Hasty Pudding Institute. Farkas maintained a longstanding personal and business relationship with Epstein, including co-owning a Caribbean marina. Between approximately 2013 and 2019, Epstein donated $50,000 annually to secure top-tier donor status with Hasty Pudding, totaling over $300,000.
Farkas responded in a statement: "As I've said repeatedly, I deeply regret ever having met this individual, but at no time have I conducted myself inappropriately."
National Campus Movement Gains Momentum
The movement extends beyond these prominent institutions. At Haverford College in Pennsylvania, the student body recently voted to urge President Wendy Raymond to proceed with renaming the Allison & Howard Lutnick Library, named for the U.S. commerce secretary who has faced resignation calls over his Epstein relationship.
Raymond had previously indicated reluctance in a February open letter but acknowledged the student resolution following the vote, promising a response within the customary 30-day period.
Other affected institutions include Tufts University with its Tisch Library and Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center, UCLA's Wasserman Football Center, and Stony Brook University's Dubin Family Athletic Performance Center—all named for individuals connected to Epstein.
Institutional Processes and Responses
Ohio State University has initiated a five-step review procedure for the Wexner name removal requests, though most of the process occurs outside public view with no established timeline. University President Ravi Bellamkonda stated: "I think the process is thorough, fair, and open, and I will promise you that we will give each request a full consideration."
Harvard University confirmed receiving the Wexner-related name removal request but declined further comment. This would represent the institution's second significant name change, following the July modification of John Winthrop House to Winthrop House due to historical connections to slavery.
Tufts University clarified that its Tisch Library was named for Preston Tisch in 1992, not his son Steve, though the sports center removed Steve Tisch's handprints during spring break renovations.
Philanthropic Giving Creates Moral Dilemmas
The current controversy parallels earlier debates surrounding the Sackler family's involvement in the opioid crisis, where institutions faced similar dilemmas about accepting substantial donations from controversial sources. While some major institutions removed Sackler names, Harvard chose not to, citing the "complex, ambiguous and debatable" legacy of Arthur M. Sackler in a 2024 report.
Epstein associates whose names adorn campus buildings typically represent significant philanthropic contributions. The Wexner family alone has donated over $200 million to Ohio State, including $100 million for the medical center, at least $15 million for the arts center, and $5 million toward the football complex. They have additionally contributed $42 million to Harvard's Kennedy School.
Ethical Considerations and Community Perspectives
Anne Bergeron, a museum consultant specializing in naming rights ethics, observed: "It's no surprise that a lot of these situations arise within the university sphere, because with students—especially the younger generation—there is virtually no tolerance for being associated with anyone who doesn't represent the best of humanity." She described this as "a moment of reckoning" for universities navigating donor relationships.
Community members like Michael Oser expressed frustration in a Columbus Dispatch letter, writing: "OSU took the money. Built the buildings. Cut the ribbons. Smiled for the photos. There were no formal 'morality clauses' attached back then, just gratitude and applause. Now, years later, some want to play moral referee while the university keeps the cash and the concrete. That's not accountability. That's convenience."
Survivor Perspectives and Healing Potential
Lauren Barnes, a Kennedy School master's student leading the Wexner name removal effort, shared her personal struggle as a sexual abuse survivor: "Thinking about all the children in this world that deserve safety and also all the survivors on campus that have to walk under the Wexner name, I know what that's like to have my heart race and my hands get sweaty. I hate that anyone else has to have that feeling walking under that name and just dealing with it kind of everywhere on campus."
Ohio State protester Audrey Brill told local media that removing Wexner's name could facilitate healing, particularly for women delivering babies at the Wexner Medical Center. Additional demands include removing the name of Dr. Mark Landon, a prominent Ohio State gynecologist who received five-figure quarterly payments from Epstein between 2001 and 2005, from a hospital visitor's lounge.
As universities nationwide confront these complex ethical challenges, the debate continues to evolve, balancing historical philanthropic contributions against contemporary moral standards and survivor considerations.
