Mark Makela/GettyHours after Bill Cosby was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home 14 years ago, four universities announced they would strip the 80-year-old comedian of his honorary degrees. “This decision [to revoke Cosby’s degree] underscores that opposition.” Carnegie Mellon also revoked Cosby’s degree, awarded in 2007. And Wesleyan President Michael Roth has said he will ask the board of Trustees to revoke honorary Cosby’s degree. In the hopes of attracting donations and cheap publicity, over the last three decades, colleges and universities have given an increasing number of honorary degrees to celebrities and business moguls. Back in 1999, a Cosby spokesman, David Brokaw, told the New York Times that Cosby had been awarded in excess of 100 degrees.

Source: Forbes April 27, 2018 18:11 UTC