Bard College President Leon Botstein announced his retirement Friday following fallout over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Botstein, who has led the private liberal arts college in New York’s Hudson Valley for half a century, will retire when his term ends June 30 after a report found the college’s president maintained an ongoing relationship with Epstein despite knowing he was a convicted sex offender.
The college’s Board of Trustees in February commissioned the law firm WilmerHale after Botstein’s name appeared thousands of times in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Epstein Library.
While the law firm noted it did not find Botstein acted illegally, the firm found Botstein’s contacts with Epstein between 2012 and 2019 included 25 visits to Epstein’s townhouse and a two-day visit to Epstein’s island. The report also noted Epstein made two visits to Bard and to various recitals and concerts "accompanied by multiple women who have since been identified as victims of Epstein."
Botstein has defended his contacts with the disgraced financier as being solely about fundraising.
In his announcement, Botstein touted his efforts to grow the school’s endowment to $1 billion, noting his marshalling of “nearly $3 billion of philanthropy from numerous sources.”
According to the WilmerHale report, Botstein’s view was, “I would take money from Satan if it permitted me to do God’s work.”
The report makes repeated mention of Botstein’s willingness to look away.
“In deciding to pursue Jeffrey Epstein in 2012, President Botstein was presented with information regarding Epstein’s crimes to which he pled guilty in 2008 and the related allegations against him,” the report says. “President Botstein did not try to further understand what Epstein had done or learn what it meant that Epstein was found in 2011 to be a New York State Level 3 Sex Offender.”
The report also says Botstein “is adamant that he did not see the young women who surrounded Epstein or those he was asked to help as possible victims, given how busy he is and how often he is asked to help people in the course of his busy schedule.”
Some members of the campus community have been calling for the president’s resignation for weeks.
In his announcement, Botstein said he was waiting for the law firm to finish its report.
“I believe it was prudent and in the best interest of Bard to wait until the WilmerHale review was complete to make this announcement,” Botstein wrote.
In his letter, Botstein said, “It has been my intention to retire from the presidency and focus my energy as faculty member, teacher, and musician.”
Botstein said he will “continue with the Bard Music Festival, SummerScape, and the Bard Conservatory and will live at Finberg House.”
The college’s Board of Trustees said in a written statement they are “grateful to President Botstein for his five decades of service to Bard College, his countless accomplishments and the lasting impact of his leadership.”
The trustees also said they remain focused on the well-being of the campus community.
“We are grateful for the resilience, care, and continued commitment of students, faculty, staff, and alumni during this time,” the board wrote.
In a statement, Bard College called Botstein “a transformative leader with the vision and unwavering commitment that has shaped Bard into the world-class educational institution it is today.”
The college added it is “confident in Bard’s future and dedicated to ensuring this institution we all love continues to grow, thrive and model excellence.”
