' '~<it ~" ···~-. ~ ~ - Alleviation of Bard's Poverty The College EndowmentRaised By '$120 Million bylM. Zubair Hossain Oppenheimer Mutual Funds, gave a before for Bard. It is rare in all of col­ does have, however, is a board that I handwritten note to Dr. Botstein, saying lege philanthropy." Till date he has con­ includes a number of wealthy trustees, that he would make a contribution. Mr. On December 20, The New York Times tributed about $100 million to the col­ most of whom did not attend Bard but Fisher recalled about the note "It was reported an incident that struck the lege. When asked about the gift that he were attracted to it in part by its presi- hard to read. At first we weren't sure whole world by surprise. Just when col­ made to Bard, dent and his ideas." In his com­ whether it said $5 or $50. It was $50 leges all over the country have been Leon Levy ment Mr. Schwab added, "There is million." concerned that the economy and the said, "It is still no doubt that Leon Botstein is While talking with this corre­ impact of Sept. 11 were going to cut not a huge magic." spondent the Administrative Vice into the gifts that they had been receiv­ endowment, When asked about how the President of the College, Jim Brudvig but now it is ing, Bard College announced that its college would be dealing with the recalled, "Leon Levy is a long time trustees had banded together to present respectable." endowment, Jim Brudvig said, 'The trustee of Bard College. He started as a $120 million in donation. As The New As the New principle of the endowment is to trustee in the early 80's. He's had a dis­ York Times York Times reported, "The sum is retain the principal and spend tinguished career in the Wall Street. He believed to be one of the largest contri­ reported, he some of the interest earned on it gave the college the single largest gift butions to a small liberal arts college." also recalled and our plan is to do just that. that the college has ever received. He In response to the donation Leon that when he We've a spending policy on the is the largest benefactor in the history of Botstein said, "When real tragedy hap­ had joined the endowment that we would maintain Bard College. It is a fantastic gift. I hap­ pens, the clock stops and there is a board in 1982, and let's hope that the returns are pened to be there at the meeting when window of opportunity for people to Bard had sig­ healthy. Even with that gift we still he passed the note to Leon Botstein. I think about what they really value. nificant debt remain under-endowed compared guess there was some excitement in People jettison frivolity and redefine and virtually no to other schools that we compete normalcy. We thought that now was with. For example Williams College the time to see how important this As The New York Times reported, endowment. Leon Levy has an endowment of $1.3 billion." The place was to our trustees. We got a established, and is the pres­ $120 million donation roughly doubled resounding answer that went well "The sum is believed to be one of ident of, the Jerome Levy the total endowment of the College, beyond our expectations." the largest contribution's to a small Economics Institute of Bard which was about $115 million. $100 mil­ The gift came soon after a College. lion of the donation would go into the board meeting in November at which liberal arts college." "Training Episcopal general endowment of the college and the treasurer of the board of trustees ministers, artists, poets and the rest $20 million would be spent on Richard B. Fisher had said, "They've teachers does not create a capital projects such as paying for the the air. Not with much anticipation about done their jobs. Now we've got to put large endowment," David E. Schwab II, Green dorms, the Performing Arts that.. .but when it turned out to be $50 this on a financially prudent basis." The Bard's Chairman remarked, "We didn't Center designed by Frank Gehry, reno­ million pledge in terms of endowment, reaction started right after the meeting. have business or engineering schools vation of Manor and Robbins as dorms, the effect was pretty overwhelming. It's Leon Levy, Chairman of the and we still don't". As the New York and some addition to the library. something that's never happened Times reported, "what Bard College "Insane" Mother Gets Jjfe Sentence by jJacqueline LaDuke it. The first one is Yates' personal and from her and then took her to another their lifestyle. After being married for family history of mental illness. One of mental hospital, where she once again three years, Russell was offered a job her brothers suffered from bipolar dis­ stayed. She was released shortly, this in Florida. He wanted to buy a trailer order, and her other brother along with On March 13th, 37 year old time with a different medication: and drive the family there. They lived her sister suffered from depression. Andrea Yates of Houston, Texas Haldol, an anti-psychotic. This medica- in the trailer for 2 years, and then Andrea's first major breakdown was in lion yielded drastic 2 received a life sentence for 2 counts of improvement. She Russell became dissatisfied with the June of 1999 when she attempted sui­ was returning to her "old self." At capital murder for drowning her chil­ time non-portability of it. They then bought cide by taking 40 trazodone pills. this, Andrea saw it a good idea to have an old GMC bus, and converted dren. Although she it into another baby. (The Yates already their home. They drove around chang- drowned all five of her had 4 children at the moment.) She ing residences constantly. Andrea children, she faced trial delivered the baby girl, the first home-schooled the children so only for killing three of her it was- daughter, Mary. A few ------· -----. children,;6 month old n't a problem. It Mary, 5-year old John, and months later, Andrea Sh d · b d wasn't until became ill again. -She Andrea had the 7-year old Noah. The yee Sta ln e was hospitalized charges she received f h first major because of scratch- were the killing of a child mOSt O t e time, breakdown that ing more bald spots under the age of 6 and they moved into her head, and for killing 2 people in the scratching bald back into a real refusing to eat and same event or scheme. house. Yates barely missed the talk. She was _spots into her Although seem- released once she death sentence. ingly supportive Andrea Yates started feeding her- h d d" · h of Andrea, self, but was re-hos- Russell pied not guilty by reason ea , 1gg1ng er was of insanity. Defense psy­ pit~lized after she herna1· 1s 1·nto always seen by was caught by her chiatrists and other mental others as suspi- mother-in-law filling health workers tried to cious, starting prove to the jury that up the bathtub in her limbs and suppos- from Andrea's house for no appar- Yates suffered from psy­ mother to her chotic illusions caused by ent reason. It was edly hearing voices friends to a thought that she post-partum depression, a roommate of might try to drown condition affecting women ·d · h · hers in one of herself. She started the mental hos- after childbirth, among an aVlng VlSlOnS. several other mental disor­ taking Haldol again, Some of these pitals. "To me, and no longer was ders including schizophre­ he was suicidal. Although nia (although she was d h sneaky," said there was no drastic never formally diagnosed include earing Lori, Andrea's improvement in her roommate. with it) and depression. Despite the The Trazodone is an antidepressant used condition, she was sent many disorders Yates may have been commands such as major reason as a sleeping aide. She was temporari­ home. When discharged suffering while she killed her children, why they are ly put in a mental hospital. When from the hospital, she defense mental health personnel testi­ "Get a knife!" and turning investi- released, she was put on an antide­ was taken off the Haldol gations on fied, she knew that what she was pressant named "Zoloft." She stayed in doing at the time was wrong. Had she and put on another anti- then seeing a knife Russell is bed most of the time, scratching bald depressant. About a not known, she would have been con­ because he spots into her head, digging her nails month later when she sidered as insane and would not have b b. trusted Andrea into her limbs and supposedly hearing drowned her children. been sentenced for life. However, not Sta Ing Someone. to stay alone in voices and having visions. Some of Another possi- the house with guilty due to insanity still has a type of these included hearing commands ble reason why Yates sentence. People found not guilty the children on such as 'Get a knife!" and then seeing murdered her children possibly has to the morning she killed them. Officials because of insanity are stricken to a knife stabbing someone. Shortly do with her husband, Russell. At this think that he should have known better. mental hospitals until they are consid­ after being released from the mental moment, investigations are being done The final possible cause of ered as no longer insane (if that ever hospital, Yates was to meet a new psy­ on their relationship.