Bard College President Faces Backlash Over Epstein Emails

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Bard College's longtime president, Leon Botstein, is facing criticism from students after newly released emails revealed he maintained a close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, even after Epstein's 2008 conviction. The emails show Botstein adopting an admiring tone toward Epstein and inviting him to visit the Bard High School Early College campus in Queens, despite Botstein's claims that their relationship was strictly professional and focused on fundraising.

Why it matters

The revelations about Botstein's relationship with Epstein have sparked outrage among Bard students, who feel their college president was willing to overlook Epstein's criminal history in order to secure funding for the institution. This raises concerns about the ethical standards and priorities of Bard's leadership.

The details

The emails show that Botstein, who is also the music director of the American Symphony Orchestra, was mentioned more than 2,500 times in Epstein's files. In one email, Botstein wrote of cherishing "this new friendship" with Epstein in 2013, adding, "I have real admiration for how you go about doing things." Botstein also sent a sympathetic note to Epstein after damaging press coverage in 2018, saying he hoped Epstein was "holding up as well as can be expected." Botstein has insisted that the relationship was purely transactional and focused on fundraising for Bard, but students have described the revelations as "gross," with one saying, "He was willing to socialize with a convicted sex offender, just for money that might not even benefit students."

• Botstein visited Epstein's island southeast of St. Thomas in 2012.
• Epstein was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008.