Dear Transition Committee and additional Members of the Bard College Board of Trustees,
We write as members of the Fisher Center at Bard staff and their supporters to express our deep concern regarding leadership decisions at Bard College that have had a significant impact on our community–which encompasses the students and visiting artists who consider the Fisher Center an artistic and educational home–and to respectfully request your action in addressing them.
We are united by a shared commitment to Bard College’s mission, to the artistic excellence and published mission and values of the Fisher Center, and to the integrity of the institution we serve. It is precisely because of this commitment that we feel compelled to speak directly and candidly in this pivotal moment of our organization’s history.
The publicly reported details regarding President Leon Botstein’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein, along with the findings and aftermath of the independent investigation conducted by WilmerHale, have generated ongoing unease among our community, and instilled a broad sense of distrust in Botstein’s ability to be an effective, transparent leader in any capacity at the College.
These concerns are not abstract for us. Unlike many other areas of the College, our community is personally and directly impacted by Botstein’s leadership roles with the SummerScape Opera, the Bard Music Festival, The Orchestra Now, the Bard Conservatory, and other related programs. As one of the most public-facing institutions within Bard College, we have been subject to repeated inquiries to cancel ticket orders to events featuring Botstein and demands for public statements in response to his behavior – the latter of which we have, to this point, responded to with silence at the College’s direction. In the last four months, we have had staff decline to continue working with us, citing Botstein’s role as a factor in their departure.
We refuse to perpetuate, endorse, or repeat the choices that Botstein made to implicate Bard and specifically the Fisher Center in the facilitation of abuse and human trafficking. Botstein’s relationship with and cultivation of Epstein as a donor contributed to the legitimization of Epstein in the eyes of his victims and the public. We will not, in turn, continue to legitimize Botstein after it has been made clear–through public opinion, our community’s response, the WilmerHale memorandum, Representative Jamie Raskin’s open letter to the Board, and the Board’s own choice to not renew Botstein’s presidential contract–that he is unfit to serve in a position of leadership over the young people on this campus.
Furthermore, we do not trust Botstein to be capable of adhering to the Fisher Center’s Community Commitments, which are in turn reflective of Bard College’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. In our collective tenure here, Botstein has not treated his colleagues with respect, has enabled harmful behavior from our donors, and has regularly acted in ways counter to the values expressed in our Community Commitments. And as noted in WilmerHale’s report and Representative Raskin’s letter, Botstein’s failure to disclose the acceptance of consulting fees from an Epstein entity, his failure to discuss with the Board on whether to accept donations and payments from Epstein, his dismissal of warnings from other stakeholders about cultivating Epstein, and his repeated public minimization of his relationship with Epstein all contribute to our conclusion that Botstein is unable to “[b]ehave with honesty, integrity, fairness, and personal accountability” in the same manner that we expect from all other members of our community. We have written and signed this letter anonymously in part due to fear of retaliation from Botstein himself.
As we understand, all formal employment agreements between Botstein and Bard College expire on June 30, 2026. With this in mind, we respectfully and strongly request that the Board not further engage Leon Botstein in any contract related to music and performing arts activity at Bard College.
We believe upholding the Board’s decision to terminate Botstein’s agreement across the College would represent a constructive and forward-looking response that acknowledges the harm perpetuated by Botstein, helps restore trust within Bard College and the Fisher Center, and positions these programs for continued artistic success under new leadership that can unite the community and strengthen public confidence.
We further encourage the Board to consider a transparent and inclusive process for future artistic leadership appointments, as well as mechanisms that ensure staff perspectives can be meaningfully heard in matters that critically affect our shared workplace and institutional culture.
We appreciate your attention to these concerns and your thoughtful consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
The Staff of the Fisher Center & Supporters
Currently signed by the below Bard employees, Bard students and alumni/ae, and faculty, Fisher Center artists, Bard Music Festival scholars, Bard donors, former employees, anonymous individuals, Bard family members, performing arts professionals, and concerned community members.
Click here to add your signature.
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Fisher Center Employee
Fisher Center Employee and Bard Alum
Fisher Center Employee
Fisher Center at Bard Employee
Fisher Center Employee
Anonymous / Fisher Center Employee
Fisher Center year-round staff
Izzy Maywood, Former Fisher Center Employee
Fisher Center Employee
Former Fisher Center Employee
Fisher Center Employee and Bard Alum
Fisher Center Employee, PS21 Employee
Anonymous industry professional, Production Manager at a Regional Theatre
Anon. Bard Employee
Performing Arts Professional
Anonymous
Performing Arts Professional
A creative community partner who believes in accountability and action
Jessica Laddin
Tristen Jarvis (TON ‘22)
Fisher Center Employee
Anonymous
Tenured Bard SMC Division Faculty Member
Fisher Center Employee
Bard Staff
Summerscape employee
Bard Alum VAP '21
Jaime Blois, Bard Conservatory ‘26
Local resident
Ben Jones - Director of Production, Harris Theater of Music & Dance
SummerScape employee
Emily Berge-Thielmann
Arlene London, Red Hook Resident
Z - Former Opera SummerScape Employee
Anonymous
Bard supporter - Michele W.
Former Fisher Center Summerscape Employee
Bard Festival Chorus veteran
Anonymous
Performing Arts Professional
Ellen Herlihy ‘26
Caroline Ryan, former Fisher Center Development Team Member
Jason Wells, FC Director of Production '20-'23
RR Sigel, Creative Producer
Fisher Center SummerScape Employee
Bard Summerscape Employee ‘23
Tenured Arts Division Faculty Member
Bard Student and Wardrobe Assistant ‘27
Fisher Center Employee
Anonymous
Melanie Dubil
Concerned community member
Former Fisher Center Summerscape Employee ‘22-‘25
Fisher Center Employee
Fisher Center Employee and Bard Conservatory Alum
Mads Dillon - SummerScape Employee
Bard Faculty
Fisher Center Employee
Ash Ginsberg '27
Breshia Flett
Bard Alum ‘00
Bard Student ‘28
Damian J. Ramirez, Bard Student ‘29
Bard Student '29
Bard Staff
Bard Alumni & Former Fisher Center Student Employee ‘19
Bryson Rand, former Bard faculty 2021-26
Fisher Center Employee
Karen Painter, Professor of Music, University of Minnesota
ALS, High School Theatre Teacher
Kate Schapira, Bard '01
Bard Student ‘28
Bard College Theatre Alum & Former Fisher Center Employee ‘09
Anonymous Bard Student ‘27
Mae Redmond, 2024 alum
Anonymous
Bard ‘26
Fisher Center Employee
Eli Thorne
Rose Albert ‘26
Seryca Monroe, Bard Student '29
Anonymous
Fisher Center Employee
Anonymous
L Willoughby, class of 2003
Bard alumni ‘24
Bard student ‘29
Bard Student '07/Faculty at SUNY Albany
Bard alum 2014
Bard Alumna ‘07
Fisher Center Employee
Bard alum 1994
Pamela (Richards) Villars ‘75
Max Pitman, Class of 2018
Class of 1982 Alum
Bard Alumna ‘98
Mary Lindsey '95
Fisher Center Employee
Ethan Clauset
Ambra Hunter, student parent
Carolyn Dechaine ‘96
Berry Ravitz
Vanessa Bombardieri ‘03
Emily Majer ‘95
Dorothy Stringer '98
Amy Sechrist '93
Aleksandra Cisneros Vescio
Anonymous alumn
David Warth, Class of 2001
Joel Phillip Friedman/Composer
Arts executive, Washington DC
Emily Brown, alumna '83
Bard conservatory student '27
Bard Alumni ‘94 /Local Resident
Longtime Summerscape Musician
Lisa Cohen, BARD parent
Fisher Center Employee
Concerned Red Hook resident
Sarah O’Connor, Simon’s Rock Alum
Bard Alumni/ae '95
Fisher Center Employee and Bard Alumn
Anonymous
Anonymous
Lily Mastrodimos
Tara Sachar
Associate Musician/Substitute TON
Alumna 1977
Peter Servatius
Arts division Faculty
Concerned Community Member - KT
Bard staff member
Meredith Yayanos (Bard music performance major, Class of 1998)
Bard Alum ‘90
E-ling Dionne - Ex Bard Student and Bard Employee
Bard Conservatory and College Student ‘30
Anonymous arts professional
Kingston resident
Fisher Center Employee
Anonymous Fisher Center Employee
Anonymous / Former Fisher Center Employee
Bard Faculty, Red Hook Resident