Bard College President Leon Botstein retiring after Jeffrey Epstein ties detailed

bard college president leon botstein announced he'll retire at the end of june after 51 years. the news came a day after a law firm hired by the board of trustees delivered a critical report about his relationship with jeffrey epstein. the wilmerhale report, summarized by former deputy attorney general jamie gorelick, said nothing botstein did was illegal. but it said he made decisions that "reflect on his leadership." botstein cultivated epstein as a donor years after epstein's 2008 florida conviction for soliciting a minor. gorelick wrote botstein said he'd "take money from satan if it permitted me to do god's work." botstein didn't disclose to the board that donations from an entity called enhanced education in 2011 and 2012 came from epstein. in 2016, he accepted fees under a consulting agreement with an epstein entity, intending to donate them to bard, but the documents can't confirm those funds were contributed. botstein didn't mention epstein in his retirement announcement. he said it was prudent to wait until the review was complete. a bard student group said the retirement doesn't go far enough and wants him to stop teaching immediately.