Leon Botstein Retires as Bard College President After 50 Years

Leon Botstein announced his retirement as president of Bard College on Friday, May 2, 2026, after serving in the role for a half century. He will retire at the end of June 2026 and remain on the college's faculty as a teacher and musician. Botstein, 79, made the announcement in an email provided to The Associated Press by Bard College.

Botstein stated that he waited to announce his retirement publicly until the completion of an independent review of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was a convicted sex offender. Botstein was not accused of any involvement in Epstein's exploitation and abuse of girls and women.

U.S. Justice Department in 2026 showed that Botstein and Epstein met on multiple occasions. Epstein sometimes arrived at Bard College by helicopter. Botstein asked Epstein to be a guest at the 2013 Bard College graduation ceremonies and suggested meeting for an opera performance.

Botstein reached out to Epstein weeks after The Miami Herald reported new details on Epstein's criminal prosecution in 2018. Botstein referred to his 'friendship' with Epstein in at least two emails. Epstein steered $150,000 to Botstein in 2016.

Botstein donated the $150,000 from Epstein to Bard College in 2016. Botstein previously denied having a personal connection with Epstein and said his contacts with Epstein were centered on fundraising for Bard College. Bard College's trustees enlisted the outside law firm WilmerHale to conduct an independent review of communications between Epstein and Botstein.

The WilmerHale review found that Botstein did not do anything illegal. Botstein disagreed with a senior faculty member who felt Bard College should not engage with Epstein. Botstein concluded that a person convicted of crimes involving sex with a minor—'an ordinary sex offender', in his words—could be presumed to be rehabilitated.

Bard College is a small liberal arts college in New York. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees at Bard College stated it is grateful for Botstein's decades of service to the college. Funds associated with Epstein will be directed to organizations that support survivors of sexual harm.