Power

Bill Cosby Resigns After 32 Years on Temple’s Board

Bill Cosby tendered his resignation Monday, as his fellow board members were reportedly preparing to discuss whether he would remain on the Temple University board. The resignation comes in the wake of allegations of sexual assault made by women against the famous comedian.

Bill Cosby tendered his resignation Monday, as his fellow board members were reportedly preparing to discuss whether he would remain on the Temple University board. The resignation comes in the wake of allegations of sexual assault made by women against the famous comedian. The Times of India/Youtube

Bill Cosby tendered his resignation Monday, as his fellow board members were reportedly preparing to discuss whether he would remain on the Temple University board. The resignation comes in the wake of allegations of sexual assault made by women against the famous comedian.

At least 13 women have said publicly that Cosby sexually assaulted them while nine others have made similar allegations anonymously. Cosby has mostly responded to these allegations by refusing to comment.

The Associated Press recently made public a portion of an interview with Cosby that shows him responding to questions from a reporter about the allegations. After saying that he had “no comment about that,” Cosby went on to criticize the reporter for asking about the allegations and told the reporter and his producers that he wanted the portion of the interview “scuttled.”

“I have always been proud of my association with Temple University,” Cosby said in a statement released by the university. “I have always wanted to do what would be in the best interests of the university and its students. As a result, I have tendered my resignation.”

Cosby had been on the school’s board of trustees for 32 years.

Temple is one of 55 colleges under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for allegedly mishandling students’ sexual assault claims, a violation of the Title IX federal statute. Temple was cited for a Title IX violation in 2007, and promised to reform its policies.

Harmony Rodriguez, one of the Title IX complainants at Temple, told Rewire that she was both “happy and saddened” by Cosby’s resignation. “Happy that he has resigned but saddened that Temple University chose to defend him,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez also said that it is saddening that ex-officio trustee Robert Rovner would accuse those making allegations against Bill Cosby of “using him to become famous.” Rovner defended Cosby in comments made to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I would not throw him under the bus,” Rovner said. “I have mixed emotions because I do have feelings for any of the women who made accusations, but on the other hand, there are two sides to every story. Some of them made accusations 15 to 20 years later. Some of them may have tried to use Bill Cosby to get into show business.”

“That comment is very telling,” said Rodriguez. “It shows how Bill Cosby, Temple University, and Rovner himself views rape victimsnot just the ones coming forward regarding Bill—and how ingrained rape culture is, even at the highest levels of power at Temple.”

Andrea Constand, the school’s former basketball operations director, who had gotten to know Cosby in his capacity as a supporter of the school’s basketball team, sued Cosby in 2005, alleging sexual assault; she is the only person so far to file suit against Cosby for sexual assault, as the Washington Post reported.

Constand and Cosby settled their case, which at the time “largely made the Cosby story go away,” reported the Post.

Temple board chairman Patrick O’Connor told the Associated Press that the comedian did not want to be a distraction. O’Connor also defended Cosby. “He didn’t comment on the allegations [Monday]. They were from [as long as] 50 years ago,” he said.

Grace Holleran, an opinion editor of the student newspaper, the Temple News, wrote a column in which she criticized the college’s ethics for “valuing a man’s fame and perceived charisma over the increasingly substantial evidence that he may have committed sexual crimes.”

Holleran told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the resignation was made for ”PR reasons,” and was the best decision for Cosby. “I do wish Temple itself had the gall to take initiative and dismiss him from the board, because that would have proven that the university is serious in its fight against sexual misconduct on campus,” she said.

Other universities and charitable organizations have come under increased pressure to cut ties with the comedian and former sitcom star.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst, which previously had not commented on the allegations, also announced that it was ending its relationship with Cosby.

“Bill Cosby has agreed to resign as an honorary co-chair of UMass Amherst’s capital campaign. He no longer has any affiliation with the campaign nor does he serve in any other capacity for the university,” said UMass Amherst spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski.

Cosby earned master’s and doctorate degrees in education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In the years since, he has had significant involvement on campus, including leading student discussions.

Freed-Hardeman University, a college in Tennessee, announced Wednesday that it had canceled Cosby’s appearance as keynote speaker at the university’s annual benefit dinner. The announcement comes just a week after the college faced questions about Cosby’s scheduled appearance in the wake of the sexual assault allegations.

Tarrytown Music Hall in New York City began offering refunds for Cosby’s scheduled stand up performances in the wake of the sexual assault allegations. As of Monday, at least one-third of the tickets for the sold-out December 6 performance have been returned.

Elsewhere, Spelman College President Beverly Daniel Tatum issued a statement on Tuesday saying the “college is not in a position to comment regarding the allegations,” and that the Cosby family donation was a “philanthropic commitment…made more than 25 years ago, and at this time there are no discussions regarding changes to the terms of the gift.”