Ohio State Keeps Wexner Name on Buildings

The university will not remove Les Wexner's name from several campus buildings despite hundreds of complaints tied to his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Higher Education

Ohio State Keeps Wexner Name on Buildings

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Ohio State University will not remove Les Wexner's name from several campus buildings, a university official announced Friday. The decision follows hundreds of complaints about Wexner's close association with Jeffrey Epstein, who is deceased.

Why it matters

The decision reflects a broader pattern in which universities nationwide have resisted renaming buildings for donors referenced in the Epstein files. Those donors' names appear on campus buildings across the country, and renaming has been resisted in almost every case.

Hundreds of complaints were lodged over Wexner's close association with Jeffrey Epstein before the university reached its determination. The extraction does not specify how many buildings bear Wexner's name or the exact basis for the decision.

The players

Les Wexner

Les Wexner is a prominent Ohio businessman and major philanthropic donor whose name appears on several Ohio State University buildings.

Ohio State University

Ohio State University is a large public research university based in Columbus, Ohio, and one of the largest in the United States.

The details

A university official announced the determination on Friday. The Epstein files referenced donors Les Wexner, Steve Tisch, Casey Wasserman, Glenn Dubin, and Howard Lutnick, and their names appear on campus buildings nationwide.

Friday: Ohio State University announces Wexner's name will remain on several buildings.

Legacy Naming Debate

Universities across the country have resisted renaming buildings for donors named in the Epstein files, with Ohio State's decision to keep Les Wexner's name following that same pattern. The extraction does not indicate whether any institution has reversed a naming decision.

Students, alumni, and visitors to Ohio State's Columbus campus will continue to see Wexner's name on several buildings. The decision directly affects how campus spaces are identified for the university community.

The takeaway

Donor naming decisions remain contested on campuses nationwide, and Ohio State's choice shows how institutions weigh past gifts against public complaints. Readers following similar disputes can compare how other universities have handled naming controversies.