Ohio State University has revoked an honorary degree awarded to Bill Cosby when he spoke at commencement in 2001.
University trustees on Friday approved rescinding the degree for the 80-year-old comedian, whose retrial in a sexual assault case begins Monday with opening statements in suburban Philadelphia.
An Ohio State spokesman says Cosby has, by his own admission, violated the university’s principles and values.
This is the first time Ohio State has revoked an honorary degree. It adds to the list of schools that have revoked honorary degrees for the comedian in the past few years.
Cosby’s retrial involves a woman who says he drugged and assaulted her in 2004. Cosby says the encounter was consensual.
His first trial ended in a hung jury.
Ohio State University spokesperson Chris Davey released the following statement:
“By his own admission, Bill Cosby violated our university’s principles and values. As the university has not previously revoked an honorary degree, administrators and faculty leaders worked to establish a formal process to move this proposal forward.”
Below is the resolution the board passed:
