Just before midnight on Tuesday, the words Epstein Hall were sprayed on the pavement outside Kerrey Hall, a New School residence named for former university president Bob Kerrey. The graffiti was reportedly removed within hours, and university officials stated that a report was filed with Campus Safety as reporters and students reviewed recently released records related to Jeffrey Epstein.
According to The New School Free Press, the words were painted around 11 p.m. and removed a few hours later. The student paper reported that a person claiming responsibility told them they would “keep pressuring the school to remove Bob Kerrey’s name off the whole institution until they do so” and added, “They have not caught me and I don't intend on being caught.” Campus Safety directed questions to university communications, and Amy Malsin, vice president of university communications, confirmed a report was filed.
Records Released By The Justice Department
On Jan. 30 the Department of Justice published over 3 million pages of material related to its Epstein investigations, a release that has prompted fresh scrutiny of names and meetings in the files, according to the Office of Public Affairs. Records from that release show Kerrey met with Jeffrey Epstein multiple times in 2013–2014; The College Fix reports the files indicate at least five meetings, though Kerrey has said he only remembers a Feb. 22, 2013, lunch.
University Response
In a statement to The New School Free Press, Malsin said the files show Epstein had contact with members of the higher-education community and that “We regret that anyone associated with our university was in contact with him.” The university did not outline any immediate changes to building names and said it would follow its standard review procedures.
Why Kerrey's Name Matters
Kerrey served as The New School's president from 2001 to 2010 and remained president emeritus until early 2013; during his tenure he helped double the full-time faculty and led more than $110 million in fundraising, according to a university press release. Those institutional gains were accompanied by campus pushback at the time, including student occupations and votes of no confidence, and the newly surfaced records have reenergized debates about whether his name should stay on campus spaces.
Campus Safety and police officials have not publicly identified anyone in connection with the vandalism, and the building remains Kerrey Hall for now, The College Fix reported. Student organizers say the episode renews calls to reevaluate building names, and university leaders say they are monitoring the situation as they review the newly released documents.
