Leon Botstein announced his retirement as president of Bard College on May 1, ending a 51-year tenure at the liberal arts institution in New York.

According to emails obtained by news outlets, the college's board of trustees voted to end Botstein's presidency last month after reviewing the results of an independent investigation into his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Botstein, who has led Bard since 1975, characterized his departure as a long-planned retirement in his public statement. However, the timing of the announcement coincided with the completion of the board's review of his Epstein connections.

The circumstances surrounding Botstein's departure have reportedly created divisions within the college's board of trustees. The independent review examined the nature and extent of Botstein's relationship with Epstein, though specific details of the investigation's findings have not been made public.

Botstein's departure marks the end of one of the longest presidential tenures in American higher education. During his time at Bard, he transformed the small liberal arts college and expanded its academic programs and global presence.