Don’t dismiss Cosby

It’s irresponsible for the Board of Trustees not to prioritize this case.

In this week’s issue, we report about a court case that dominated headlines before more than a foot of snow hit Philadelphia.

We suspect you may have heard of Bill Cosby, the longtime comedian who is arguably the university’s most well-known alumnus. Dozens of women came forward with allegations that he drugged and/or sexually assaulted them—one of those accusers is Andrea Constand, a former university employee.

Last month, the university Faculty Senate passed a motion calling for Cosby’s honorary degree to be revoked, partially as a result of this case. Both Faculty Senate President Tricia Jones and a university spokesman recently said they were “unaware” of any discussion among university trustees about the motion.

We understand the Board of Trustees is a busy group. But the longer they delay a discussion, the more it could tarnish the university’s image—which could be worsened by a “guilty” verdict in the Cosby-Constand case.

Some decisions warrant a lot of time. We’ve stated before that the board’s choice to move slowly when discussing a possible on-campus stadium is commendable. This Faculty Senate motion, however, should not be ignored.

Many developments in the case have occurred since the faculty senate passed its motion, but that doesn’t mean the trustees can’t have a discussion about a court case that accuses Cosby of a crime that, if he is convicted, could land him five to 10 years behind bars.

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