Bard’s extraordinary faculty are dedicated to the philosophy of teaching. Today and throughout Bard’s history, members of the faculty have effected change in medicine, the arts and letters, international affairs, journalism, scientific research, and education, among other endeavors. These distinguished scholars are advisers as well as instructors: Bard has no graduate teaching assistants. And the average class size of 16 in the Lower College and 12 in the Upper College allows for intimate discussions and one-on-one interaction.
David Bloom ’13 MM ’15. Photo by Bruce Kung
“What brought me to Bard, in a word, was the faculty.”
“To work with Joan Tower, George Tsontakis, and James Bagwell was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. I had long followed and admired their work, and then I found out that each of them taught here. It’s easy for musicians to focus only on music, whereas I wanted to have a broader education that would prepare me for a world that requires a more well-rounded base of knowledge and experience.”
—David Bloom ’13 MM ’15
—David Bloom ’13 MM ’15
Faculty News
Bard College Joins the Future Universities Alliance
Bard will focus on leveraging the Global Higher Education Alliance for the 21st Century (GHEA21) and the Bard Global Degree program to expand opportunities for displaced students.
Bard College Joins the Future Universities Alliance
Bard will work with global peers to explore how high-impact innovations can be extended through adaptation and partnerships. Photo by Joseph Nartey ’26
“Our participation in the Future Universities Alliance reflects Bard’s commitment to integrate international education more fully into undergraduate studies and to make rigorous liberal arts education accessible to communities where it was previously underdeveloped, inaccessible, or absent,” said Jonathan Becker, Bard executive vice president and GHEA21 vice chancellor. “We look forward to exchanging ideas with our global peers on ways to broaden our impact.”
GHEA21 has reenvisioned international education as a full curriculum of regular undergraduate courses taught by faculty around the world to students across five continents. More than 2,700 students across 21 partner institutions enroll in 150+ courses annually. About half of the enrollments consist of displaced students. GHEA21 enables Bard students, regardless of their circumstance, to pursue international education throughout their four years of undergraduate study. To learn more, please visit ghea21.org.
“Bard is eager to see the GHEA21 model replicated or adapted to provide opportunities for many more displaced students than GHEA21 alone can serve,” said Daniel Calingaert, GHEA21 managing director and Bard dean for Global Programs. “The Future Universities Alliance will give us a structured space to test our ideas with fellow innovators around the world and share what we have learned through developing GHEA21.”
The Bard Global Degree is a synchronous, online degree program for students displaced or threatened by conflict, crisis, or political repression who have little or no access to a rigorous liberal arts education. Students enroll in the same Associates and Bachelors of Arts degree programs as on Bard’s main campus, earn academic certificates, and graduate with accredited Bard associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. To learn more, visit globaldegree.bard.edu.
More information about the Future Universities Alliance is available at futureuniversities.org.
Post Date: 06-10-2026
Sean McMeekin Featured in History Channel Documentary Series About WWII
Sean McMeekin, Francis Flournoy Professor of European History and Culture at Bard College, has been featured in a new documentary series by the History Channel. The series, World War II with Tom Hanks, examines dimensions of the war like the decisions that shaped the battlefield, the unseen networks that sustained the war effort, and the aftershocks that still shape our world today.
Sean McMeekin Featured in History Channel Documentary Series About WWII
Sean McMeekin, Francis Flournoy Professor of European History and Culture.
The Historical Studies Program at Bard College encourages students to examine history through the prism of other relevant disciplines such as anthropology, economics, and philosophy and different forms of expression. The program also introduces students to a variety of methodological perspectives used in historical research and to philosophical assumptions about men, women, and society that underlie these perspectives.
Post Date: 06-10-2026
More News
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Economist Pavlina Tcherneva Speaks with Marketplace About Inflation
Economist Pavlina Tcherneva Speaks with Marketplace About Inflation
Pavlina Tcherneva, president of the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College, spoke with Marketplace about the current state of inflation in the US economy. The article notes that when the prices of groceries, gas, and rent rise faster than wages, consumers lose purchasing power, which is reflected in the current inflation numbers. “I expect that these price shocks will ripple through the economy in coming months,” said Tcherneva, who added that she does not expect wages to improve much. “Workers are going to be squeezed on both sides, stagnating wages and increasing cost of living."Pavlina Tcherneva, president of the Levy Economics Institute.
The Levy Economics Institute Graduate Programs in Economic Theory and Policy were created to offer students an alternative to mainstream programs in economics and finance. These programs combine a rigorous course of study with the exceptional opportunity to participate in advanced economics research alongside Institute scholars. The Levy Institute’s programs also give Bard College undergraduates the opportunity to meet prominent figures who give seminars, attend conferences, and serve on the research staff.
Post Date: 06-09-2026
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Computer Scientist Valerie Barr Quoted in the Atlantic
Computer Scientist Valerie Barr Quoted in the Atlantic
Valerie Barr, Margaret Hamilton Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Bard College, was quoted in an Atlantic article about the importance of studying computer science in the age of AI. The article examines how AI may be changing the landscape of coding, but does not negate the need for computer scientists—in fact, the proliferation of AI code may require more professionals who have a deep understanding of computer systems. “I’m back to how I taught in the 1980s, when we didn’t have laptops and there was one computer lab for the whole campus,” said Barr. She told the Atlantic that she now assigns coursework largely on paper in her introductory class, and believes that students who learn coding fundamentals the old fashioned way will come out ahead. “You cannot make effective use of AI tools if you don’t know something about what you’re asking the tools to do.”Valerie Barr, Margaret Hamilton Distinguished Professor of Computer Science.
The Computer Science Program at Bard focuses on the fundamental ideas of computer science and introduces students to multiple programming languages and paradigms, covering theoretical, applied, and systems-oriented topics. Most courses include hands-on projects so that students can learn by building, and by participating in research projects in laboratories devoted to cognition, computational biology, robotics, and symbolic computation.
Post Date: 06-09-2026
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Parami University Celebrated Its First Cohort of BA Graduates in Commencement Ceremony on June 9
Parami University Celebrated Its First Cohort of BA Graduates in Commencement Ceremony on June 9
On June 9, 2026, Parami University is holding its Commencement Ceremony at the Chiangmai Grandview Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand, honoring the graduation of its first ever cohort of Bachelor of Arts students, as well as Associate degree graduates from the Classes of 2026 and 2028. Bringing together graduates, faculty, trustees, families, and international partners, the ceremony underscores Parami University’s continued commitment to expanding access to higher education and fostering academic excellence across diverse student communities.The ceremony celebrates graduates receiving Bachelor’s and Associate degrees through Parami University’s partnership with Bard College.
Welcome remarks will be delivered by Parami University President Kyaw Moe Tun, followed by remarks from Zali Win, chairman of the board of trustees, Jonathan Becker, executive vice president of Bard College, and Phil Enns, dean of academic affairs at Parami University. An Honorary Degree will be conferred on Kevin Quigley, who will also deliver the 2026 Parami Commencement Address, in recognition of his contributions to Parami University, international education, civic leadership, and global engagement.
The ceremony celebrates graduates receiving Bachelor’s and Associate degrees through Parami University’s partnership with Bard College. Both in-person and virtual graduates will be recognized for their academic achievements, perseverance, and commitment throughout their studies. “This is a significant milestone for Parami University as we celebrate the achievements of our first Bachelor’s degree graduates, along with the largest group of Associate degree graduates in our institutional history,” said Moe Tun. “I am extremely proud of our graduates and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in their communities, professions, and beyond. Congratulations to the Classes of 2026 and 2028 on this remarkable achievement.”
Post Date: 06-09-2026
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Bard College Professor Jenny Xie Selected for 2026 Howard Foundation Fellowship
Bard College Professor Jenny Xie Selected for 2026 Howard Foundation Fellowship
Jenny Xie, assistant professor of written arts at Bard College, has been announced as a recipient of a Howard Foundation Fellowship for 2026-27. Xie’s fellowship in the category of Poetry, conferred by the George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard Foundation, is one of 14 fellowships awarded by the foundation this year, which support independent creative and scholarly work on major projects by early mid-career individuals who have demonstrated potential to be future leaders in their fields.Jenny Xie, assistant professor of written arts.
During her fellowship, Xie will receive $40,000 in unrestricted funds to devote her time to researching, developing, and writing her third poetry collection, Dead Time, which delves into forms of directionless time, or time untroubled by plot and by imperatives of action. Xie is the author of two other collections of poetry. Eye Level (2018) was a finalist for the National Book Award, and the recipient of the Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets and the Holmes National Poetry Prize from Princeton University. The Rupture Tense (2022) was a finalist for the National Book Award and the CLMP Firecracker Award, and a recipient of the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award. Xie has also been supported by fellowships and grants from Civitella Ranieri Foundation, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Kundiman, New York Foundation for the Arts, the Vilcek Foundation, and the Jerome Foundation.
The Howard Foundation is an independent agency administered at Brown University. Established in 1954, it awards annual, unrestricted fellowships to promising individuals in selected artistic and academic fields. Past fellows have authored bestsellers, directed Oscar nominated feature-length films, and earned some of the world’s most prestigious honors including Pulitzer Prizes, the Rome Prize, and the Whiting Award. For more information, visit howard-foundation.brown.edu.
Post Date: 06-04-2026
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President Botstein Awarded Honorary Degree and Bard Medal
President Botstein Awarded Honorary Degree and Bard Medal
At Bard College’s 166th Commencement, President Leon Botstein, who became the College’s 14th president in 1975, was awarded an honorary degree and Bard Medal. Botstein received an honorary Doctorate of Civil Law in recognition of his 51 years of transformative leadership. Botstein was also presented with the Bard Medal, which honors individuals whose efforts on behalf of Bard and whose achievements have significantly advanced the welfare of the College.President Leon Botstein at Bard College’s 166th Commencement. Photo by Samuel Stuart Hollenshead
The numerous Bard College initiatives designed and founded under his leadership encompass a wide range of educational work ranging from local community programs to international efforts with global impact. Bard High School Early Colleges have enlarged the opportunities available to talented high school students in under-resourced communities across the country. The Bard Prison Initiative has made a liberal arts education available to incarcerated learners hungry for meaning and hope in their lives. Bard’s renowned music programs, its internationally recognized Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, and its Center for Curatorial Studies and Art in Contemporary Culture offer unparalleled interdisciplinary education in the arts. Bard College Berlin, Al-Quds Bard College, and Bard’s other international programs offer an education across the world to students from places where access to a liberal arts education is otherwise unavailable or suppressed.
“Starting decades ago, with limited resources, President Botstein led Bard toward all these achievements,” states the citation for Botstein’s Doctor of Civil Law honorary degree. “Recently, aided by a generous match from the Open Society Foundations, he completed a boldly ambitious endowment campaign that goes a long way toward securing Bard’s future.” The citation for Botstein’s Bard College Award stated: “Over fifty-one years as president, Botstein has transformed Bard College into the extraordinary institution that it is today, and his work and leadership have defined Bard’s distinct and important mission.”
Post Date: 06-02-2026
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Bard Musician Franz Nicolay Testifies in Congress
Bard Musician Franz Nicolay Testifies in Congress
Franz Nicolay, visiting instructor of music at Bard College, spoke at a Congressional hearing about a Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case, reported Chronogram. The case concerned the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster which has resulted in a monopoly on event ticket sales in the United States. “Live music hasn’t been a healthy competitive market,” said Nicolay during the hearing. “Instead, a vertically integrated corporation that controls venues and tour promotion and ticketing and artist management, to the almost total control of many music markets, is, to a comical degree, the epitome of the kind of monopolistic power that antitrust law was created to address.”Franz Nicolay, visiting instructor of music.
“We, as artists, simply don’t have the range of city-to-city, venue-to-venue choices that would constitute a healthy ecosystem,” Nicolay continued. “It’s a problem of affordability, in an economic climate which, through drastically increasing gas prices, airfare, postage and international shipping fees for merchandise, and hardening borders, is making the touring on which our livings depend increasingly unaffordable for musicians. And that increased overhead… has a corresponding effect on affordability and access for fans.”
The Music Program, one of the largest programs on Bard’s campus, provides a wide range of musical concentrations, from classical composition and performance to jazz, electronic music, musicology, ethnomusicology, and music theory.
Read more in Chronogram
Further Reading in Rural Intelligence
Post Date: 06-02-2026
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