All posts tagged: Botstein

Bard President Leon Botstein (Finally) Resigns, Following Epstein Revelations

Bard President Leon Botstein (Finally) Resigns, Following Epstein Revelations

Published by Jenni Sidey

Leon Botstein, who has led Bard College since 1975 and shaped it into one of the art world’s most influential liberal arts institutions, announced Friday that he will retire, after an independent report found he had not been “fully accurate” in his public accounts of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the New York Times reported. The review, conducted by the law firm WilmerHale and commissioned by Bard’s board of trustees, was released Friday alongside Botstein’s announcement that he will step down as president on June 30. Related Articles The findings did not identify illegal conduct on Botstein’s part, but concluded that his relationship with Epstein—which included visits, payments, personal messages, and a joint watch purchase worth $56,000—raised serious concerns about his leadership and judgment. In the case of the watch, Botsein, a watch collector, had kept the watch for nearly a year before Epstein demanded that he return it, or pay him to cover the cost. Botstein’s retirement is a consequential moment for the art world: Bard is home to the Center …

Bard President Botstein retiring after Jeffrey Epstein ties Revealed

Bard President Botstein retiring after Jeffrey Epstein ties Revealed

Published by Sam Flores

FILE PHOTO: President of Bard College Leon Botstein speaks during the “Changing Landscapes: From the Digital Classroom to the Global Campus” panal during the TIME Summit On Higher Education on Oct. 18, 2012 in New York City. Jemal Countess | Getty Images Bard College President Leon Botstein announced Friday that he will retire at the end of June after 51 years leading the prestigious New York liberal arts school, a day after a law firm retained by its Board of Trustees delivered a critical report about his relationship with the late notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “Nothing that President Botstein did in connection with his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was illegal,” WilmerHale attorney Jamie Gorelick wrote in a summary to those trustees, which CNBC obtained. “But President Botstein made decisions in the course of that relationship that reflect on his leadership of Bard,” wrote Gorelick, who served as a deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration. Bard’s trustees retained WilmerHale in February to review its 79-year-old president’s relationship with Epstein after details about their communications …

Bard President Leon Botstein (Finally) Resigns, Following Epstein Revelations

Bard President Leon Botstein Talks About Succession Plan: Report

Published by José Betancourt

Leon Botstein, whose leadership of Bard College has been questioned after connections with Jeffrey Epstein were revealed, has talked about retiring and moving into another role at the school after a successor is found, according to a report in the Times Union. But no timeline has been set, and the 79-year-old “appears to have no plans of leaving soon,” according to the newspaper. Botstein has met numerous times with Bard students and workers since details about his relationship with Epstein were revealed in February, including at three town halls, a faculty meeting, and a meeting with operations and support staff last week. But he “has characterized his eventual departure as the inevitable consequence of his advancing age,” according to the Times Union. Ann Lauterbach, a professor of languages and literature, told the paper, “My impression is that he will retire on his own clock. I think the most important thing is that he is not going to be forced to retire because of the Epstein files.” Related Articles Botstein’s name appears more than 2,800 times …