Close Menu
The Baylor Lariat
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    Trending
    • Baylor community unites in flash flood relief efforts
    • Baylor rescinds LGBTQIA+ inclusion research grant after backlash
    • Students react to emergency alert following campus lockdown
    • Baylor shelter-in-place lifted following police pursuit of robbery suspects
    • Baylor graduate charged after killing cats with pellet gun, hanging bodies over utility lines
    • Baylor Football’s Alex Foster dies at 18
    • Board of Regents confirms budget, renovations, new leadership in May meeting
    • How facilities responds to storms, flooding in campus buildings
    • About us
      • Spring 2025 Staff Page
      • Copyright Information
    • Contact
      • Contact Information
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Subscribe to The Morning Buzz
      • Department of Student Media
    • Employment
    • PDF Archives
    • RSS Feeds
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    The Baylor LariatThe Baylor Lariat
    Subscribe to the Morning Buzz
    Thursday, July 10
    • News
      • State and National News
        • State
        • National
      • Politics
        • 2025 Inauguration Page
        • Election Page
      • Homecoming Page
      • Baylor News
      • Waco Updates
      • Campus and Waco Crime
    • Arts & Life
      • Wedding Edition 2025
      • What to Do in Waco
      • Campus Culture
      • Indy and Belle
      • Sing 2025
      • Leisure and Travel
        • Leisure
        • Travel
          • Baylor in Ireland
      • Student Spotlight
      • Local Scene
        • Small Businesses
        • Social Media
      • Arts and Entertainment
        • Art
        • Fashion
        • Food
        • Literature
        • Music
        • Film and Television
    • Opinion
      • Editorials
      • Points of View
      • Lariat Letters
    • Sports
      • March Madness 2025
      • Football
      • Basketball
        • Men’s Basketball
        • Women’s Basketball
      • Soccer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
      • Volleyball
      • Equestrian
      • Cross Country and Track & Field
      • Acrobatics & Tumbling
      • Tennis
      • Golf
      • Pro Sports
      • Sports Takes
      • Club Sports
    • Lariat TV News
    • Multimedia
      • Video Features
      • Podcasts
        • Don’t Feed the Bears
      • Slideshows
    • Advertising
    The Baylor Lariat
    Home»Opinion»Editorials

    Right choice to revoke: Decision to rescind Cosby’s honorary degree was smart

    Baylor LariatBy Baylor LariatOctober 12, 2015 Editorials No Comments3 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Baylor University rescinded the honorary degree given to entertainer Bill Cosby last Thursday. The degree was presented to Cosby in 2003 when he visited the school to perform for the Baylor student body and faculty.

    Many years later, the former comedian found himself in hot water. Cosby has been in the national limelight amid multiple past sexual assault accusations. A man once adored and respected for a wholesome style of comedy is now alleged to have kept years of darkness under wraps in his private life.

    Though it probably comes with reluctance and disappointment, Baylor made the right call to revoke Cosby’s honorary degree.

    Several other universities preceded Baylor in rescinding the honorary degrees given to Cosby, and several other universities are likely to follow. In other words, Baylor’s not first to the table in yanking an honorary degree. But Baylor most certainly decided it would be in one of the first waves of universities to make that statement.

    However, Cosby’s recent allegations of sexual assault come at a similarly bad time for Baylor in 2015. In light of the Sam Ukwuachu sexual assault case involving a former football player earlier this semester, Baylor’s reputation as a school that takes initiative in the fight against sexual assault is in crisis mode. It is mainly for this reason that Baylor made the right decision in removing Cosby’s honorary degree.

    This is a statement of initiative and affirmative action from Baylor. The school can no longer lay low on the issue of sexual assault.

    What is so compelling, however, about this situation between Cosby and Baylor is the context of his visit to campus after a rough summer for the university. To put things in perspective of what happened that summer of 2003: one Baylor basketball player murdered one of his teammates, the school was investigated and punished for several NCAA violations and head basketball coach Dave Bliss resigned in the aftermath of the aforementioned chaos that occurred.

    Because of those hardships on campus, Cosby came to perform and heal the Bears after facing a beating in the national media. Surely, that gesture from the comedian was a noble one and appreciated by the Baylor family.

    Of his own accord, the comedian wanted to give the gift of laughter to a downtrodden community, and in return, the school showed its thanks by awarding him this now-revoked distinction. It’s especially tragic that Cosby, a man who helped Baylor in a dire time of need, has now essentially been erased from the annals of the university’s history.

    Nevertheless, removing Cosby’s degree was an action of in favor of Baylor’s renewed dedication. The ball is in Baylor’s court, and removing his degree gets the school that much closer to its goal of zero-tolerance for sexual assault. Though Cosby’s crimes are still allegations at this point, Baylor cannot associate itself with it during such sensitive times.

    Baylor Lariat
    • Website

    Keep Reading

    Don’t believe myths about autism — reduce stigma by learning facts

    I never thought I’d miss my meal plan

    Violent predator catchers do more harm than good

    Lariat Letter: My pre-medical studies have shaped me into a better man

    It’s time to write more handwritten letters

    The end of the semester is just the beginning

    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    Recent Posts
    • Baylor community unites in flash flood relief efforts July 9, 2025
    • Baylor rescinds LGBTQIA+ inclusion research grant after backlash July 9, 2025
    About

    The award-winning student newspaper of Baylor University since 1900.

    Articles, photos, and other works by staff of The Baylor Lariat are Copyright © Baylor® University. All rights reserved.

    Subscribe to the Morning Buzz

    Get the latest Lariat News by just Clicking Subscribe!

    Follow the Live Coverage
    Tweets by @bulariat

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    • Featured
    • News
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Arts and Life
    © 2025 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.