Ohio State Keeps Wexner’s Name on Buildings

An Ohio State University official declined to move forward on a review of billionaire businessman Leslie Wexner’s ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations of sexual misconduct and abusive employment practices, according to documents released Friday.

Wexner’s name appeared nearly 800 times in the Justice Department’s most recent trove of Epstein documents, and two groups of survivors of Epstein’s abuse sued Wexner and the Wexner Foundation earlier this year, alleging he enabled Epstein’s crimes. Wexner said there was no factual basis for the claims made in the suit. The case is still ongoing.

Wexner, whose name adorns several buildings at Ohio State, has denied the allegations. But hundreds of individuals submitted requests that the university take Wexner’s name off the buildings. They cited concerns about the allegations reported in several news media articles and in lawsuits as well as the impact on the university’s reputation and individuals seeking care at the medical center named for Wexner.  

A university committee reviewed the requests, which largely revolved around nine allegations, and determined, based on the information submitted by the requesters, that three of them should get a full review. But the recommendation doesn’t reflect the allegations’ merit or lack thereof. 

The university’s naming-review policy requires “substantial evidence that the individual or entity’s name is fundamentally at odds with and harmful to the university’s reputation for excellence and its values of integrity and inclusiveness.” The committee noted that because it was limited to the submitted information, “it cannot reach a conclusion regarding that ultimate standard presently, but further review will allow it to evaluate the facts in line with the [policy] more fully.”

Trevor Brown, the university’s interim executive vice president and provost of academic affairs, wrote in response to the committee’s report that while he appreciated their offer to conduct a full review, “the committee is not and was never intended to become an investigatory body like a law enforcement or auditing organization.”

“Mr. Wexner has faced allegations of misconduct but has never been charged with or convicted of a crime,” he wrote. “Mr. Wexner has denied these allegations, including under oath, and if I were to ask the committee to conduct further review, you would be in the nearly impossible position of searching for substantial evidence of misconduct where law enforcement entities, Congressional committees and international media outlets have not discovered such evidence.”

He added, if substantive evidence becomes publicly available, “the university could return the matter to the committee to make an updated recommendation.”