Although Bill Cosby was arraigned Wednesday on a felony assault charge, allegations of rape have been piling up against the comedian for months, and reporter Mike Hellgren of WJZ in Baltimore notes that Johns Hopkins University has been reviewing Cosby’s honorary degree.
Johns Hopkins has been actively reviewing #Cosby's honorary doctorate since Oct; no decision made; referred to past statement @cbsbaltimore
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) December 30, 2015
Johns Hopkins past statement on #BillCosby @cbsbaltimore pic.twitter.com/3mzDBp8cCM
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) December 30, 2015
One member of the community who has given Johns Hopkins input is Lili Bernard, the mother of a Johns Hopkins freshman and one of Cosby’s many accusers. Bernard met with the student-run Sexual Assault Resource Unit at the school in October to enlist their help in rescinding Cosby’s degree.
#Cosby accuser Lili Bernard meeting w Hopkins student grp SARU in Oct; wants his hon degree rescinded @cbsbaltimore pic.twitter.com/kHyKmUBBtP
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) December 30, 2015
The story of Lili Bernard, parent of Hopkins student, wants school to revoke #Cosby's honorary degree @cbsbaltimore https://t.co/7HCirhKekF
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) December 30, 2015
Bernard, an occasional cast member on “The Cosby Show,” told CBS News that on a trip to Atlantic City, Cosby gave her a drink that made her violently ill before she passed out and awoke later “naked and groggy in a hotel bathtub.”
The Baltimore Sun reports that other area colleges and universities have already cut ties with Cosby or are considering it.
Maryland colleges are reviewing Bill Cosby's honorary degrees after he was charged today with sexual assault. https://t.co/HUjzEyYZjH
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) December 30, 2015
Four universities in the state — University of Maryland, College Park; University of Baltimore; Goucher College; and Johns Hopkins University — had awarded Cosby honorary degrees after he spoke at their graduations. At least 60 colleges had done the same, according to a list compiled by the New York Times.
Of the four Maryland schools, Goucher rescinded its degree to Cosby in October. TIME reports that Tufts University, Fordham University, Brown University, Drew University, The University of Pittsburgh, Drexel University, New York University, and Spelman College and cut their ties with Cosby.
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