Bard College launched an internal review after Justice Department documents linked President Leon Botstein to fundraising contacts with Jeffrey Epstein. The board ordered an examination of Botstein’s meetings and the college’s fundraising protocols; trustees and faculty expect the review to determine whether institutional safeguards were bypassed. The probe follows the DOJ’s release of Epstein-related emails that named several higher‑education figures. Bard’s move mirrors actions at other schools, including Yale and UCLA, that placed faculty on leave or opened inquiries after similar revelations. Trustees and outside counsel will likely weigh donor vetting practices and whether gift promises were fulfilled.