#leonbotstein

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

US Top News and Analysis | Bard College President Leon Botstein retiring after Jeffrey Epstein ties detailed AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Bard College President Leon Botstein announced he will retire at the end of June after 51 years leading the New York liberal‑arts institution, a decision that came one day after the Board of Trustees received a WilmerHale review of his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The report found that while Botstein’s actions were not illegal, his pursuit of Epstein’s donations—despite the latter’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor—was poorly disclosed, with fees and contributions hidden from the board and public statements that minimized the relationship. Botstein, a noted conductor, said in his retirement email that he will refocus on teaching, music festivals and the Bard Conservatory, while the Board expressed gratitude for his five‑decade service. Student activists, however, argued that his departure did not go far enough and called for broader reforms to address a culture that allowed such negligence. Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/01/epstein-bard-college-president-leon-botstein-retire.html #LeonBotstein #BardCollege #JeffreyEpstein #WilmerHale #JamieGorelick #OwenDenker