The Howard University Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to rescind the honorary degree it conferred on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in 2014.
The decision was taken after CNN published a 2016 surveillance video showing Combs physically assaulting his former girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles.
The Washington DC-based historically Black college or university said it will disband its scholarship program in Combs’ name.
“This acceptance revokes all honors and privileges associated with the degree,” said a statement from the Howard University Board of Trustees. The Board has directed that Combs’s name be removed from all documents listing honorary degree recipients of Howard University.
The University added “Mr. Combs’ behavior as captured in a recently released video is so fundamentally incompatible with Howard University’s core values and beliefs that he is deemed no longer worthy to hold the institution’s highest honor.” “The University is unwavering in its opposition to all acts of interpersonal violence,” the board added, linking to the school’s “Interpersonal Violence Prevention” webpage in the statement.
The Board has also directed the University administration to terminate a 2016 gift agreement with Combs, disband the scholarship program in his name, and return his $1 million contribution. Howard will also terminate a 2023 pledge agreement with the Sean Combs Foundation that pledged $1 million. No funds were due or made by the Sean Combs Foundation on that pledge as of this date.
Howard University’s announcement comes amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the once-beloved Bad Boy Records music mogul. Combs has been named in eight lawsuits since November, when Ventura accused him in a now-settled claim of years of abuse during their relationship and of raping her in 2018.
Subsequent lawsuits have accused Combs of sexual misconduct and other illegal activity. He has not responded to all the allegations against him but has denied claims from many of the civil suits.
The US Department of Homeland Security’s investigative arm has already launched a federal probe into Combs and allegations of sex trafficking. Investigators searched his Los Angeles and Miami homes on March 25 as part of the probe. No federal criminal charges have been filed against the music executive.
The surveillance video published by CNN could potentially become evidence in the federal investigation.