PNN – The release of the latest batch of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous American financier, has now reached beyond the world of politics and economics and into academic environments, where some professors and university administrators have faced consequences due to past connections with him.
Nearly two weeks after the release of the largest batch of documents related to Epstein, the names of a number of professors and academic figures who corresponded or interacted with him have been in the spotlight.
In one such case, officials at the University of California, Los Angeles removed the profile of Mark Teramo, an associate professor of neurology, from the university’s list of media experts. The move came after a petition calling for his removal garnered more than 6,000 signatures. University officials have not publicly commented on the details of his relationship with Epstein.
At Duke University, officials closed three research centers, including the Center for Advanced Futures Studies, which was run by Dan Ariely, a business professor whose name appears hundreds of times in Epstein documents. However, a university spokesperson said the closure of the center had nothing to do with Ariely’s relationship with Epstein. Ariely himself had explained his relationship with Epstein in a note in the student newspaper a few days before the decision.
In another move, the University of Arizona canceled a “Science of Consciousness” conference scheduled for April after the names of several speakers and organizers, including an anesthesiology professor, appeared in Epstein’s documents. In a message, the professor said he deeply regretted receiving a one-time financial donation from Epstein in 2017 and apologized to his victims.
At Bard College, the president of the institution explained his relationship with Epstein in a letter to university members, emphasizing that his interaction with him was solely to solicit financial donations and that Epstein was never his friend. He described Epstein as “a highly deceptive and exaggerated individual” who used connections to academic institutions to improve his public image.
The fallout has also reached university administration. The dean of a New York art school resigned after his correspondence with Epstein was revealed. Several university trustees have also come under public pressure or resigned due to their ties to Epstein.
Overall, the release of these documents has once again raised serious questions about the relationship between some academic figures and Epstein and the way financial aid is accepted at American higher education institutions, and has shown that the consequences of this case are still ongoing for the academic environment in this country.