Newly released Justice Department files have widened scrutiny of Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to higher education, prompting universities to review faculty relationships, cancel events and close affected research centers. The disclosures have surfaced previously undisclosed emails and meetings that associate high‑profile academics and administrators with Epstein, sparking student and alumni protests and renewed calls for transparency about donor influence. University leaders insist appearances in documents do not equal wrongdoing, but multiple campuses are facing rapid internal reviews and reputational fallout as trustees, provosts and faculty governance bodies confront long‑standing questions about philanthropic ethics and conflict‑of‑interest controls.