This post was updated Feb. 8 at 5:05 p.m.

The Epstein files have made their way to UCLA.

Correspondence released by the Justice Department revealed Mark Tramo – a UCLA associate adjunct professor of neurology – sent personal and professional exchanges to Jeffrey Epstein up until 2019, when Epstein was indicted for child sex trafficking.

Appearing in the documents does not imply criminal wrongdoing. Several people mentioned in previous releases have denied wrongdoing relating to Epstein.

[Related: UCLA professor discussed students, class with Jeffrey Epstein, DOJ documents show]

Tramo, as a Harvard faculty member, was first introduced to Epstein in the late 1990s. Tramo said he spoke with Epstein, on average, once a year. The institute founded by Tramo – the Institute for Music and Brain Science – also allegedly received donations from the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation.

The collection of files released Jan. 30 by the Justice Department revealed Tramo forwarded emails from students seeking research opportunities to Epstein in 2010, to which Epstein responded asking if they are “cute,” with Tramo answering, “We’ll see! (you’re terrible!).”

Tramo initially denied communicating with Epstein about students in a statement sent at 12:13 p.m. on February 4.

“There never were any conversations about Harvard, UCLA, or any other students,” he said in the statement.

In another emailed statement sent less than twelve hours later, however, he admitted to participating in the email exchange, which referred to a Harvard undergraduate student and a student from the David Geffen School of Medicine – where Tramo was adjunct faculty at the time.

UCLA must address Tramo’s connection to Epstein and conduct a formal investigation. Tramo said he was unaware of Epstein’s offenses against minors, yet his seemingly willful ignorance must be condemned. By evading the problem, the university only encourages speculation and undermines its commitment to accountability and transparency.

Additionally, the university must communicate news of a formal investigation and disciplinary action against Tramo to ensure fair treatment of punished faculty.

Tramo said he was unaware of Epstein’s sexual offenses against minors and claimed he was not involved in Epstein’s criminal activity.

“I didn’t fly on the planes, I didn’t go to the island. I didn’t see him with any young women,” Tramo said.

In an emailed statement, Tramo also addressed the recently released files that allege he was discussing students and their appearances with Epstein. He said he sometimes forwarded student inquiries about job opportunities to his institute’s benefactors – which included Epstein – to share that his institute’s education mission was being served.

“In retrospect, I should not have replied at all because his remark was inappropriate,” he added in another emailed statement. “I’m upset, sorry, and embarrassed that I did reply.”

Since news broke of his connection to Epstein, UCLA Administrators have not addressed the relationship to their community. The only action they appear to have taken is removing him from UCLA Newsroom’s list of preferred experts following the publication of the Bruin’s story.

But any connection to an internationally known and indicted child sex trafficker cannot be ignored.

“I don’t think they should ignore it. That wouldn’t be right,” said Nina Ambriz, a fourth-year anthropology student. “It feels like by brushing that aside or refusing to look at it – that’s like almost giving it a pass.”

If there is already an investigation taking place on the true nature of Tramo’s involvement with Epstein, the student body is wholly unaware. If there is no current investigation, a thorough investigation and communication of such should be UCLA’s top priority.

Yet with the university’s staunch silence, there is no difference.

The UCLA community deserves information. When they are left in the dark, there is no way to know proper accountability is taking place. This information only becomes more necessary when so many students are demanding the university punish Tramo.

“Any ability to teach a class here probably should be taken away,” said Kyle Imanishi, a third-year environmental science student.

Students in Tramo’s class are also uncomfortable with his past.

“I think we’re all walking on eggshells around this topic for this class,” said a current student in Tramo’s class, who was granted anonymity out of fear of retaliation.

Tramo maintains he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes before his 2019 indictment.

“What we know now isn’t what we – or anyone – knew then,” Tramo said.

Since pleading guilty to solicitation of child prostitution in 2008, however, Epstein was a registered sex offender – even designated high-risk by New York State authorities. Both his conviction and registration were public information – yet remained ignored or unseen by Tramo and the academic community.

Tramo’s personal relationship continued with the then-registered sex offender, where emails released include correspondence about plans for the two to meet and recollections of past meetings.

Tramo added that Harvard University’s administration gave unspoken approval to the relationship, with Tramo’s academic peers arguing Epstein served his time and had a clean slate. Epstein was welcomed back as a benefactor, even after his guilty plea and sentencing, Tramo said.

It is shocking how many reg flags Tramo and Harvard willfully ignored. The academic community should have known better, and Tramo’s lasting relationship with Epstein indicates indifference toward his actions.

There is no evidence suggesting Tramo was directly involved in Epstein’s criminal activity. In fact, Tramo believes that the media attention to his links have been unfair.

“Portraying these activities (the forwarded emails) as being associated with a pedophile is misleading, anachronistic, unfair, and defamatory,” Tramo said in an emailed statement.

He was, however, in continued contact with a high-risk sex offender, whom he also regarded as a potential donor, which associated Epstein with Tramo’s professional pursuits.

The university’s history of penalizing faculty differs wildly from their approach to Tramo. UCLA is willing to – and evidently has in the past – taken swift action to discipline and investigate employees, while updating the community with developments.

Johnathan Perkins, the EDI office’s former director of race and equity, was placed on leave after posting seemingly celebratory remarks about the death of political commentator Charlie Kirk. UCLA published several statements addressing Perkins’s punishment and the status of the investigation.

If Perkins can undergo a formal investigation and be put on mandatory leave, Tramo can at the very least be investigated and potentially face disciplinary action. This explicit unequal punishment by UCLA signals a disregard for Tramo’s connection to Epstein. Their inability to publicly address the situation reinforces it.

Currently, there is no word on an Academic Senate hearing for Tramo. The Academic Senate and UCLA Media Relations did not respond to a request for comment.

“UCLA should address it because it is a growing topic, and it’s setting this not-so-great reputation for our school,” said a second student taking Tramo’s class, who was also granted anonymity out of fear of retaliation.

The Epstein files have stamped this campus. UCLA must respond. The students are waiting.