The aftershocks of the Epstein case in American universities

According to RCO News Agency, Nearly two weeks after the release of the largest package of documents related to Epstein, the names of a number of professors and university figures who corresponded or interacted with him are in the media spotlight.

In one of these cases, the officials of the University of California in Los Angeles removed the profile of Mark Tramo, an associate professor of neurology, from the list of university media experts. This action was taken after a petition for his removal gathered more than 6,000 signatures. University officials have not publicly commented on the details of her relationship with Epstein.

At Duke University, the officials of this educational center closed three research centers; including the Center for Advanced Foresight, which was run by Dan Ariely, professor of business. Ariely’s name appears hundreds of times in Epstein’s documents. However, a spokesperson for the university said that the closure of the center had nothing to do with the relationship between Ariely and Epstein. A few days before this decision, Ariely himself explained about his relationship with Epstein in a note in the student newspaper.

At Yale University, a computer science professor named David Gelrenter has been suspended from teaching. He, who has taught at the university since the 1980s, has defended his correspondence with Epstein in response to criticism, saying he does not regret describing the appearance of a female student in an email to Epstein in 2011. The spokesperson of Yale University has announced that this professor will not be allowed to teach until the end of the review process, and the university will not approve his actions and the way of writing his recommendation letter.

In another move, the University of Arizona canceled a “Consciousness Science” conference scheduled for April. The decision was made after several speakers and organizers, including an anesthesiologist, were named in Epstein’s documents. In a message, this professor announced that he was deeply sorry for receiving financial aid from Epstein in 2017 and apologized to his victims.

At Bard College, the president of this institution explained his relationship with Epstein in a letter to university members and emphasized that his interaction with him was only to attract financial aid and that Epstein was never his friend. He described Epstein as a “very manipulative and exaggerated person” who used his connections to academic institutions to improve his public image.

The consequences have been extended to the management level of universities. The dean of an art school in New York resigned after his correspondence with Epstein was revealed. Also, several members of the university’s board of trustees have come under the pressure of public opinion or resigned from their positions due to their connection with Epstein.

In general, the publication of these documents has once again raised serious questions about the way some academic figures are related to Epstein and the way financial aid is accepted in American higher education institutions and has shown that the consequences of this case are still ongoing for the academic environment of this country.

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