<p>Interesting read on a recent article on college endowments with Mr. Botstein quoted on his views:</p>
<p>[Is</a> an Endowment a Nest Egg or a Gambler’s Stake?](<a href=“http://www.mindingthecampus.com/originals/2010/02/there_are_two_observations_to.html]Is”>http://www.mindingthecampus.com/originals/2010/02/there_are_two_observations_to.html)</p>
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<p>Leon Botstein is a preeminent educator, championing his unique philosophy in the strangest of places…say, prison…and in the most obvious of places…the classroom. I can’t think of any other college president who has done as much for education as Leon Botstein has.</p>
<p>He is one-of-a-kind, a true gem. Bard is lucky to have him and, methinks, vice versa. It’s a perfect match. And you can tell from the aura on campus that it is indeed a very special place.</p>
<p>I don’t know how else to describe it, but I’ve spent time at dozens and dozens of colleges and universities, and worked in admissions at one. But the sensation I get when I step on the Bard campus is just…extraordinary.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, endowments. Sorry, I digressed. ;)</p>
<p>I couldn’t find Bard in the recently released NACUBO report on college endowments. This had me concerned. </p>
<p>I love his philosophy, though, I think, but I can’t say I totally understand how endowments work anyway. I do know that after hearing him on IDP weekend, I really came away wondering about those huge piles of money that most colleges are sitting on and also decided not to donate any more to my alma mater as a result!</p>
<p>I was also wondering why Bard’s endowment is not listed on the recent NACUBO report. Also, I can’t seem to find any link anywhere to Bard’s Common Data Set. Why the seeming lack of transparency with this college? It does make me a little hesitant to encourage D to apply - it otherwise looks like a very good fit for her. It would be nice to be able to compare apples - to - apples financial and enrollment data with its peer colleges.</p>