Bill Cosby Honorary Degree Revoked By Northwestern

EVANSTON, IL — Northwestern University trustees voted unanimously Monday to rescind an honorary degree awarded to Bill Cosby. The board had previously discussed withdrawing Cosby's degree but decided to hold off pending a guilty verdict, according to the university. The 80-year-old former comedian was awarded the degree after delivering Northwestern's commencement address in 1997.

In April, Cosby was found guilty of drugging and molesting a Temple University staffer at his suburban Philadelphia in his retrial on three counts of criminal sexual assault. He faces up to 10 years in prison on each count. Monday's meeting was the board's first since the conviction.

Northwestern has never rescinded an honorary degree in its 167 years of history. However, it withdrew an offer of one to controversial Chicago pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright who had been due to deliver the university's 2008 commencement address.

Several universities announced they were pulling Cosby's honorary degrees in 2015 in response to the release of depositions showing him admitting to drugging women before having sex with them.

Following Cosby's conviction, the floodgates opened, as dozens of institutions yanked back honorary degrees they had bestowed upon the iconic actor. Several of them, like Northwestern, had never rescinded anyone's degree before.

Cosby is due to be sentenced in Montgomery County court in September.

Earlier: Northwestern Considers Rescinding Bill Cosby's Honorary Degree »