The USF board took the decision to a vote on Friday, September 24, which passed unanimously in favor of rescinding Cosby’s honorary degree.
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The University of San Francisco is revoking the honorary degree awarded to Bill Cosby in 2012 amid reports of sexual misconduct by the embattled entertainer.
Universities continue to distance themselves from Bill Cosby.
“In receiving that degree, Mr. Cosby was specifically honoured in the citation for his “ability to integrate [his] personal character into fictional personae that simulate real life while embracing such cherished American values as honesty, fair play, love of family, and respect for humanity…”
“By his own admission Mr. Cosby engaged in behaviors that go entirely against our university’s mission and the guiding values we have worked so hard to instill on our campus…”
Fitzgerald said the university has also sent a letter to Cosby informing him of their decision.
Being that this is the first time these institutions have stripped someone of an honorary degree, Martin asked that these colleges investigate other honorary degree recipients’ pasts and strip these individuals of their honors if transgressions are found.
A representative for Cosby did not immediately return a request for comment.
In a statement, Fordham said as a Jesuit university, it could “no longer stand behind the degree” it gave to Cosby in 2001.
UMass Amherst, where Cosby received his doctorate in education in 1977 after giving a dissertation on “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids”, cut ties with the comedian last November despite his massive donations and fundraising efforts on the school’s behalf.
“That Mr. Cosby was willing to drug and rape women for his sexual gratification, and further damage those same women’s reputations and careers to obscure his guilt, hurt not only his victims, but all women, and is beyond the pale”, the statement read.
He noted that the campuswide discussion surrounding the rescinding of Cosby’s honorary degree had coincided with a campuswide discussion on the broader topic of sexual assault and consent.
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“The statement issued by the university was so irresponsible as to shock the conscience”.
