Bill Cosby’s honorary degree likely to be revoked by Ohio State

Owen Daugherty
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 18:23:42 +0000
Campus, National, campus, commencement

Bill Cosby arrives at the Montgomery County Courthouse March 29, 2018 in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Credit: Courtesy of TNS

Bill Cosby’s honorary degree from Ohio State could be revoked when the full Board of Trustees meets Friday.

Cosby was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in education in 2001 when he spoke to graduates at Spring Commencement.

Ohio State is now likely following in the footsteps of several other schools, including Ohio’s Oberlin College, in pulling Cosby’s degree.

The former entertainer and television star best known for “The Cosby Show” has been embroiled in controversy since he was arrested in 2015 and later went on trial for drugging and sexually abusing a woman 14 years ago. That trial ended with a hung jury this summer and the 80-year-old actor is awaiting a second trial, slated to begin Monday in Philadelphia.

The Board materials outlining plans to pull Cosby’s degree were released Monday, with the Academic Affairs and Student Life committee scheduled to review the materials Thursday before going before the full Board for approval Friday.

Ohio State told several media outlets in 2016 that Cosby’s honorary degree was under review at the time.