Bill Cosby's Honorary Degree From George Washington University Rescinded
Bill Cosby's nearly 20-year-old honorary degree from George Washington University has been rescinded, as the embattled comedian continues to deal with the fallout stemming from his ongoing sexual assault probe.
According to The Washington Post, university president Steven Knapp announced the school would be stripping the "Cosby Show" dad of the award just days after he was criminally charged in a decades-old case.
In all, more than 50 women have recently come forward to allege the now 78-year-old Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted them over a 50-year period commencing in the 1960s. He has vehemently denied all the accusations levied against him and recently sued several of his accusers for defamation.
In 2015, court documents from a decade earlier were unsealed, revealing the famed comedian once admitted under oath that he planned to give drugs to women with whom he wanted to have sex.
After initially publicly declaring the school would be taking no such action, George Washington joined a growing list of institutions that have moved to distance themselves from Cosby in light of the revelations. Knapp also penned a letter he said was aimed at letting members of the college community "know what the university has been doing and is continuing to do in response to the ongoing problem of sexual assault that afflicts every college campus, including ours."
Over the last several months, various student groups have met with Knapp to make their feelings known on the issue, leading the president to reconsider his initial decision and ultimately arriving at this week's announcement.
"I"m very happy with it," student body president Andrea Dowd said. "The decision to revoke the honor is about more than the degree. It shows we're there to continue to support survivors."
Once celebrated as "America's Dad," Cosby developed close ties to institutions and businesses in the Washington area over the years, including the iconic Ben's Chili Bowl.