UMaine board votes to rename George Mitchell Center

University of Maine Board Votes to Rename Programs Bearing Former Senator George Mitchell’s Name

The University of Maine System’s Board of Trustees approved a vote Monday to rename campus programs that had carried the name of former U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell, a decision that follows the discovery that Mitchell’s name appears more than 750 times in documents released about financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The vote, 9‑5 with one abstention, came after a task force established by the university unanimously agreed that the use of Mitchell’s name could “compromise the public trust and reflect adversely upon the university and its reputation.” The Board’s motion will temporarily rename the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions as the University of Maine Center for Sustainability Solutions, and the George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship as the University of Maine Peace Scholarship. A separate committee will later decide on permanent titles.

Background

Senator Mitchell, now 93, served as Maine’s U.S. Senator from 1980 to 1995. He has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities and has expressed regret for ever knowing the convicted sex offender. In February, he stepped down as honorary chair of the scholarship organization that bore his name, prompting the scholarship’s leadership to open discussions about a name change.

No evidence has surfaced that Mitchell was involved in Epstein’s wrongdoing. Still, the sheer frequency with which his name appears in the publicly released Epstein files has prompted the university to reconsider the appropriateness of his name on its programs.

Board Debate

Trustee Donna Loring was the lone voice to vote against the motion. “Senator Mitchell is exemplary as far as what he’s done internationally, and I think by removing his name, that also sends a message,” Loring said. “I think that all of his good work — and he’s done lots of good work — should not be diminished, should not be disappeared, because of unproven accusations.” She added that “there’s no due process here, there’s no trial,” and that the change goes against her principles.

Trustee Emily Cain, who voted for the change, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. “I will never stop being a fan of George Mitchell’s work, ever,” she said. “The work he did is undeniable for peace in the world — Northern Ireland especially — for climate, as a leader. … But I also think the reality of right now is we’re not able to just talk about the work.”

Student member Matthew Webber expressed the view that students largely agree with the Board’s decision. “The students feel that him getting recognized in this way, put on a pedestal, is an injustice of what they feel is almost entirely a wrong,” he said. “Almost all the students of the university are in agreement of that, so to rename, I believe, is in the best interest of us as well.”

Board chair Roger Katz echoed the student sentiment. “I think all we need to do is listen to our students to realize that conclusion is correct; that there is reputational damage,” Katz said. “Whether that’s fair or not, we could talk all day about that.”

Next Steps

A University of Maine spokesperson noted that updating websites, signage and other materials could take several months. The university has set up a group to determine the permanent names for the center and scholarship.

The decision marks a significant step for the University of Maine System as it seeks to balance respect for a prominent former public figure with the need to maintain public trust amid ongoing scrutiny over connections to Jeffrey Epstein.