Unmasking Donors: Colleges Rethink Epstein-Linked Names

0:00On March 26, colleges across the United States are facing growing calls to strip names of major donors tied to Jeffrey Epstein from their buildings. The push is strongest at Ohio State University, where billionaire Le Wexner, the school's top donor and an alumnus, has his name on several, structures, including the medical center on the Columbus campus. Wexner managed Epstein's money for years and was named a possible co-conspirator in court files, though he insists he was tricked by Epstein and was. However investigated, Harvard's Kennedy School has also asked to remove Wexner's name from a building and atrium there. Students and faculty say keeping these names sends the wrong message about tolerance for bad behavior and hurt survivors of sexual assault. Protests at Ohio State have ramped up, with similar concerns raised at other campuses. At Harvard for College in Pennsylvania, students want Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik's name off the library after his $25 million gift. In 2014, Lutnik visited Epstein's properties even after his conviction.

1:03Tufts University students are targeting film producer Steve Tish's name too. School leaders are reviewing but moving slowly. These demands spiked after the Justice Department released millions of pages on Epstein's elite connections this year. Renaming involves Tuft trustee votes, legal hurdles and donation questions, clashing with the long tradition of honoring big givers. As one expert notes, figuring out the line between history and harm remains tricky.