Officials at Atlanta’s Spelman College, which has significant ties to Cosby, were mum about the new information that surfaced about the famous comedian.
In December, the historically black women’s college indefinitely suspended the endowed professorship named in honor of Cosby and his wife Camille, after the couple donated $20 million to the institution in 1988.
“The William and Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Endowed Professorship was established to bring positive attention and accomplished visiting scholars to Spelman College in order to enhance our intellectual, cultural and creative life; however, the current context prevents us from continuing to meet these objectives fully. Consequently, we will suspend the program until such time that the original goals can again be met,” said a statement the university released last year.
The college has nothing else to say beyond that statement, a Spelman spokeswoman said Tuesday.
In November, Spelman issued a statement saying it was “not in a position to comment regarding the allegations.”
In addition to the professorship, Spelman’s museum of fine art, college archives and offices are housed in the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D. Academic Center, named for Cosby’s wife. Two of Cosby’s daughters also attended the college, according to Spelman’s November statement.
The November statement does not comment on the allegations against Cosby, but does denounce sexual violence “in any form,” and notes the school’s critical role as a women’s college to “lead the fight against it.”
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