Leon Botstein, the long-serving president of Bard College in New York, announced his retirement effective at the end of June, following scrutiny over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. An independent review by the law firm WilmerHale found that while Botstein did not engage in illegal activities, his ties to Epstein raised significant concerns regarding his leadership. The review highlighted that Botstein had minimized his relationship with Epstein in public statements. It was revealed that Botstein had met Epstein multiple times and even invited him to college events. Despite his previous claims of having no personal connection, documents showed that Epstein had contributed $150,000 to Bard in 2016, which Botstein stated he donated to the college. In light of the findings, Bard's Board of Trustees expressed gratitude for Botstein's service but acknowledged the serious concerns raised. Moving forward, funds associated with Epstein will be redirected to organizations supporting survivors of sexual harm.