Leon Botstein resigns from Bard College following release of Epstein email

Leon Botstein has resigned from all positions at Bard College after congressional investigators uncovered an email between him and Jeffrey Epstein. The Guardian, Inside Higher Ed, and Mid Hudson News all reported that Botstein stepped down from his remaining roles at the institution. However, initial reporting by The New York Times stated that Botstein was no longer president but continued to teach and participate in music programs before his full resignation was confirmed. [1][2][3][5][6]

The resignation was triggered after Representative Jamie Raskin revealed an email from Botstein to Epstein. According to the Guardian and the Times Union, Raskin called for a criminal investigation into Botstein as a potential co-conspirator. The Guardian reported that the email asked Epstein whether a young woman was for him or if Epstein was keeping her for himself. The Times Union added that the Department of Justice and the FBI were urged to investigate. [1][4]

Botstein is a Swiss-born American conductor and musicologist who served as the president of Bard College from 1975 to 2026. He was born in Zurich in 1946 to Polish Jewish parents before his family moved to the United States in 1948. During his 51 years as president, he was credited with transforming the college and raising its global profile. His later career became overshadowed by revelations that he maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein between 2011 and 2018. [7][10]