After a legendary career starring in television classics such as “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” “The Cosby Show” and “Kids Say the Darndest Things,” Bill Cosby, at age 77, was in the middle of a pleasant retirement when personal disaster struck.
On Nov. 13, a woman named Barbara Bowman published an op-ed in The Washington Post accusing Cosby of raping her. Since then, a total of 19 women have come forward with sexual assault allegations against the beloved television family man.
“When I came to, I was in my panties and a man’s t-shirt, and Cosby was looming over me,” Bowman wrote. “I’m certain now that he drugged and raped me. But as a teenager, I tried to convince myself I had imagined it.”
As more women tell their stories of brutal sexual assault from Cosby, the numerous causes to which Cosby has devoted himself have been cutting ties with him. Although Cosby has yet to be convicted — and many of these allegations can never be definitively proven due to a lack of timeliness — Cosby’s reputation seems to have been irrevocably ruined.
On Thursday, the U.S. Navy announced it would revoke Cosby’s title as an honorary chief petty officer, which he was awarded in 2011. Cosby took it upon himself to step down as a member of the board of trustees at his undergraduate school, Temple University, on Dec. 1. And back on Nov. 26, after Massachusetts Attorney Gen. Martha Coakley’s strong urging, the University of Massachusetts Amherst cut all ties with Cosby, who is an alumnus, as did the Berklee College of Music.
“At a time when the state is focused on prevention and response to sexual assaults on campus, allowing Mr. Cosby to continue to represent our state university sends the exact wrong message,” Coakley wrote in a letter to the college. “I believe the volume and disturbing nature of these allegations has reached a point where Mr. Cosby should no longer have a formal role at UMass, nor be involved in its fundraising efforts, unless or until Mr. Cosby is able to satisfactorily respond to these allegations.”
One school that has yet to disassociate from Cosby is Boston University, who hosted the actor as the 2013 commencement speaker for the School of Education and awarded him with an honorary doctorate of humane letters at the Class of 2014 commencement ceremonies in May.
“You want to find that next Bill Cosby,” he told SED graduates in 2013. “You make me very proud and very happy today. You are teachers. You are everywhere.”
While BU spokesman Colin Riley told The Daily Free Press that the school was monitoring the legal developments surrounding Cosby’s allegations, the University has yet make a decision to revoke his honorary degree.
It seems very likely that Cosby is a serial rapist. The 19 women who have accused him of the crime, including supermodel Janice Dickinson and lawyer Tamara Green, have similar stories, following a pattern of being drugged and awaking in Cosby’s bed. Additionally, women have accused Cosby of sexual assault in the past, but only now is due publicity gathering around these valid — though mostly improvable — claims.
Yet Cosby has not been proven guilty, and until he is, he cannot legally be labeled a sex offender. And while he walks an innocent man in the eyes of the law, BU has no obligation to cut its ties with him, no matter how many schools already have.
BU’s connections with Cosby are not strong enough to necessitate a public disassociation. It’s not as if Cosby has a long history with the university as he did with Temple and UMass. Aside from speaking in 2013 and receiving the honorary degree in May, Cosby does not play an active role on our campus and has not made any public strides for the school. While this means there is little at stake in cutting ties with Cosby, it also means there is little reason to do so in the first place. BU is judicious to wait for further legal developments before making any definitive moves.
It is incredibly unfortunate that likely the only way Cosby’s guilt — if he is guilty — can be proven is with a confession straight from Cosby, a move he probably would never make since, through his lawyers, he has publicly came out and denied some of them. The allegations against him are deplorable, and it is saddening that such a beloved actor and philanthropist could have such a dark underbelly. But until a confession statement is made, BU is right in not making any statements of its own.
I am so disappointed in BU. Cosby was given an Honorary Degree; He didn’t earn it or pay for it. And to emphasize he really has no business with BU and doesn’t even have any time invested in BU, is laughable. ALL THE MORE REASON OUR GREAT SCHOOL SHOULD RESCIND THE HONORARY DEGREE! IT SHOULD BE ALL THE MORE EASY TO DO SO. Just two weeks ago BU and SARP announced their new campaign to bring awareness and education to SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE ON CAMPUS. We will all be required to complete an online training seminar on this campaign. On the SARP website there is a banner that reads, “My therapist believed me when my friends didn’t…”
What message is BU truly sending here? If their best interest is with the students (who pay good money to attend this research university) and the message is SAFETY AND GOOD HEALTH AND OPEN DOOR POLICY….then sweeping Cosby’s extensive rape allegations and his Honorary Degree from BU under the rug is not fair or consistent with the new campaign for Sexual Assault Awareness on Campus.
I ask Colin Riley and associates this, if it were you child or sibling or loved one that came forward, years after it happened, and opened up about their shameful secret…..would you silence them and tell them that without a trial by jury, a dna sample, witnesses, and an alibi, you just can’t believe them? What if 19 of your loved ones came forward….would you still demand evidence and proof and a jury? Or would you follow Martha Coakley and do the same and show every one, ESPECIALLY, the BU Student body, that you are so serious about Sexual Assault not being tolerated on Campus, or anywhere in the world?
When everyone chooses not to sit in silence and to encourage everyone around them to speak up. When everyone chooses to lack judgment and justification…..and just simply show compassion, then we will see a revolution.
Peace.
TLP