Epstein Revelations Rattle Bard Head After 50 Years in Role (1)

Leon Botstein spent half a century building Bard College from a tiny school in New York’s Hudson Valley into an elite liberal arts institution known for its progressive agenda.

Now, despite his well-documented relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and consternation from some students and alumni, those decades leading the school are helping Botstein avoid the fate of Wall Street leaders, politicians and academics: being forced into stepping down.

Instead of hiding, the school still plans to throw a gala in his honor at luxury Manhattan event venue Cipriani next month, celebrating his accomplishments after 50 years at the ...