Students at Bard College's high school commencement ceremony in New York City expressed strong disapproval toward the institution’s outgoing president, Leon Botstein, amid revelations of his close association with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The event, held on Monday at the United Palace in Upper Manhattan, saw frequent boos directed at Botstein, who announced his retirement last month following increased scrutiny over his ties to Epstein.
Botstein, who has led Bard College for more than 50 years, faced sustained heckling after nearly every mention of his name during the graduation for Bard’s high schools in New York and New Jersey. The students responded particularly negatively when Botstein offered advice to graduates about navigating relationships with difficult or morally ambiguous individuals, telling them, “To get anything done, you’re going to have to dance with the devil.” The reaction became so loud that Botstein paused and urged the audience not to judge too quickly, though he did not directly address Epstein.
The controversy stems from communications and meetings between Botstein and Epstein between 2012 and 2017. These interactions continued despite warnings from a senior Bard faculty member to avoid Epstein, as well as Epstein’s prior conviction on charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. A report commissioned by Bard found that Botstein believed Epstein was “an ordinary sex offender” who had been rehabilitated. The report also highlighted Botstein’s prioritization of fundraising for the college, noting his assertion that he would accept funds “from Satan if it permitted me to do God’s work.”
Bard College’s main campus is located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, and the institution operates several affiliated high schools, including four in New York City and another in Newark, New Jersey. Botstein’s role as a prolific fundraiser brought him into contact with Epstein, whose donations had supported Bard initiatives.
In response to the incident, Bard College released a statement clarifying that Botstein’s remarks were intended to emphasize the importance of dialogue, debate, and engagement across differences, rather than a direct reference to Epstein. The statement said Botstein was advocating against social polarization and the abandonment of conversations with challenging individuals.
However, many students perceived the president’s comments as a tacit justification of his relationship with Epstein. Graduates such as Fayana Butler and Moriah Khan characterized Botstein’s advice as troubling and indicative of a lack of remorse. “He was basically saying, ‘You gotta do what you gotta do,’” Butler said, while Khan described the remarks as “weird” and “creepy.”
Philip D. Murphy, former governor of New Jersey and Monday’s commencement speaker, praised Botstein’s leadership and his impact on higher education in the United States. Murphy’s remarks, calling Botstein “incomparable,” were met with loud jeers from the assembled students.
The controversy marks a challenging finale to Botstein’s extensive tenure at Bard amid ongoing debates about ethical boundaries in fundraising and institutional accountability.