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Swarthmore College today became the latest in a long line of universities to rescind an honorary degree awarded to Bill Cosby.
“Mr. Cosby has testified in a deposition under oath, which was made public in July, that he routinely and premeditatively drugged women before having sex with them,” said Swarthmore President Valerie Smith. “We find that his admitted personal behaviors are wholly inconsistent with our institutional values -- and ones we would never want our own students or graduates to emulate.”
Swarthmore follows more than half a dozen other universities that made the same decision in the last month or so, including California State University System, John Jay College, Drexel University, Bryant University, Drew University, the University of Pittsburgh and Muhlenberg College, bringing the total close to 20. Faculty members at the University of Missouri are also pushing their board to do the same.
At the same time, a small but also growing group of universities has decided not to rescind. Joining them most recently are George Washington University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Though some students are unhappy, George Washington officials told NBC News 4, "While we are shocked and disturbed by the allegations against Mr. Cosby, it has never been the university’s practice to rescind an honorary degree."
