A Nobel laureate leading Columbia’s brain institute resigned after revelations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein prompted criticism and campus unrest. Richard Axel characterized the relationship as a “serious error in judgment”; he faces no criminal charges but stepped down amid pressure. Separately, new Justice Department disclosures and released documents have produced a wave of scrutiny across multiple universities, uncovering previously unpublicized ties between Epstein and faculty or administrators. The reporting has triggered student and alumni demands, institutional reviews, and renewed debate over donor vetting, research ethics, and the reputational costs of accepting funds from controversial benefactors. Administrators are confronting expedited reputational and governance choices that could affect fundraising and faculty appointments.