Ohio State declines to remove Wexner name from buildings after review

Ohio State will keep Les Wexner’s name on its medical center, arts center and football complex after Interim Provost Trevor Brown declined to advance requests to remove it. From January through September, 512 students, employees and alumni submitted about 6,000 pages of material citing nine categories of allegations, including Wexner’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, alleged personal misconduct and alleged abusive employment practices. A university committee recommended further review of three categories but did not assess the allegations’ merits; it also could not compel testimony or obtain private records. Brown said the available evidence did not meet the university’s threshold for substantial evidence of misconduct and reputational harm. Wexner has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime related to Epstein; he has donated more than $200 million to Ohio State. Brown’s ex-officio role on the Wexner Center for the Arts Foundation board prompted questions about a potential conflict of interest, though the university said the provost’s role in the naming process is established by policy.