NPR Topics: News | Bard College's president to retire after scrutiny of relationship with Jeffrey Epstein by The Associated Press AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Long‑time Bard College president Leon Botstein announced his retirement, effective at the end of June, after an independent review examined his extensive but controversial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The review found Botstein did not break any laws, but criticized his handling of the relationship—accepting $150,000 from Epstein, inviting the financier to campus events, and downplaying the connection—as reflecting poorly on his leadership. Botstein, 79, will remain on Bard’s faculty as a teacher and musician, and the college said it will redirect funds linked to Epstein to organizations that support survivors while acknowledging Botstein’s decades of service. Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/02/nx-s1-5808942/bard-college-president-leon-botstein-retire-jeffrey-epstein #BardCollege #LeonBotstein #JeffreyEpstein #WilmerHale #BoardofTrustees