In a February 19 email to the Bard community, The Board announced it has hired a law firm to review Botstein’s ties to the notorious pedophile and the institution’s fundraising norms.
[Editor’s Note: information in the following report was independently verified by the Bard College Communications Department.]
The Board of Trustees at Bard College announced Thursday that it has retained outside counsel to conduct an independent review of communications between College President Leon Botstein and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as related financial contributions and fundraising practices.
The Board has not yet provided a timeline for completion of the review and did not address when or if Botstein will resign.
In a February 19 email sent to the Bard community, the Board announced it has hired the law firm WilmerHale to examine the “full scope” of the communications between the two men and to make recommendations regarding donor vetting and governance policies.
The announcement follows renewed scrutiny of Botstein’s past fundraising interactions with Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution and was later charged in federal court with sex trafficking of minors before his death in 2019. Recently released emails and media reporting have prompted questions within the Bard community about the nature and extent of Epstein’s relationship with the College and its president.
Last week Botstein sent his own message to the Bard community stating that his interactions with Epstein were “always and only for the sole purpose of soliciting donations for the College” and that Epstein “was not my friend; he was a prospective donor.” He also noted that contact began with an unsolicited $75,000 gift to Bard High School Early College in 2011, after which he pursued further philanthropic support in his capacity as the College’s chief fundraiser.
The Board’s February 19 message indicates that trustees will now undertake a broader institutional review.
Below is the full text of the email sent by the Bard College Board of Trustees.
To the Bard community,
As many of you know, there have been a number of fair and important questions raised about communications between President Leon Botstein and Jeffrey Epstein in response to recently released emails and reporting.
We recognize—and feel—how difficult this moment is for our community and the pain and concern that it has caused. We are grateful to those who have shared their thoughts and feelings on the issue and for this community’s commitment to upholding our ideals of respect, integrity, and civic participation.
Earlier this week, the Board of Trustees retained an outside law firm, WilmerHale, to conduct an independent review of the full scope of these communications, financial contributions connected to Epstein, and any related matters relevant to understanding these issues fully. Once complete, the Board is committed to sharing the results and communicating how we will move forward as a community. The law firm will also make recommendations to the Board regarding our policies and practices on donor vetting, fundraising, codes of conduct, and conflicts of interest.
Bard College is grounded in mutual respect and thoughtful engagement with the issues affecting our community and, in moments like this, those values matter more than ever. We are grateful for your patience and continued contributions to the strength and spirit of Bard.
– Bard College Board of Trustees
