SRF1505

SENATERESOLUTION
AResolutionexpressinganobjectiontotheGeorgeWashingtonUniversitysdecisiontonot
revokethehonorarydegreeofMr.BillCosby
.
SHORTTITLE:

TheBillCosbyHonoraryDegreeRevocationAct

SRF1505

AcademicAffairsCommittee,StudentLifeCommittee

SPONSORS:

Sen.ErikaFeinman(CCASU)
Sen.ThomasFalcigno(CCASU,ChairProTempore)
Sen.CharlesSpiritos(ESIAU)
Sen.NickWatkins(CCASU)

COSPONSORS:

Sen.EvanBursey(CCASU,ViceChairmanofStudentLifeCommittee)
Sen.BradyForrest(CCASG)
Sen.MelissaLawrence(CCASU)
Sen.EricBeeler(ESIAU)
Sen.RohanBhargava(ESIAU)
Sen.PriyankaWalimbe(UAtLarge)
Sen.KelseyLombard(UAtLarge)
Sen.BriannaBorghi(Freshman,StudentLife)

PURPOSE:
ToexpressanobjectiontotheGeorgeWashingtonUniversitysdecisiontonot
revokethehonorarydegreeofMr.BillCosbyandforotherpurposes.
_____________________________________________________________________________

WHEREAS
Mr.CosbyreceivedanhonorarydegreefromtheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityin
1997whenhedeliveredthatyearscommencementaddress.
WHEREAS
AnhonorarydegreefromtheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityisforthosewho
demonstratethevalueofhardwork,dignityandintegrity.
WHEREAS
Recently,morethan40womenhavespokenoutaccusingMr.Cosbyofdrugging
andrapingthem.
WHEREAS
TheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityhasconsideredtheideaofrevokingMr.
Cosbyshonorarydegreeinrecentweeks.
th
WHEREAS
TheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityannouncedonOctober20
,2015thatthe
schoolwouldnotrevokeMr.Cosbysdegree,stating,Whileweareshockedanddisturbedby
theallegationsagainstMr.Cosby,honorarydegreesareconferredatamomentintime,basedon

whattheuniversityknowsaboutthehonoreeatthattime.Ithasneverbeentheuniversitys
practicetorescindanhonorarydegree.
th
WHEREAS
OnOctober26
,2015,TheHatchetpublishedastaffeditorialexpressingtheir
disapprovalintheGeorgeWashingtonUniversitysdecision,stating,Cosbynolonger
demonstratesdignityorintegrity,andisnolongerworthyofanhonorarydegreefromGW.

WHEREAS
SevenuniversitieshaverescindedMr.Cosbyshonorarydegrees,includingTufts
University,whichisoneoftheGeorgeWashingtonUniversitysmarketbasketschools.
WHEREAS
TheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityshouldnotbeassociatedwithanypersonwho
committedsuchhorrificactionsandassuch,shouldnotholdanhonorarydegreefromthe
GeorgeWashingtonUniversity.
WHEREAS
TheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityshouldhonortheircommitmenttosupport
survivorsofsexualassaultbyrescindingMr.Cosbyshonorarydegree.
WHEREAS
TheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityhasdemonstratedtheircommitmentto
survivorsofsexualassaultthroughtheirparticipationincampaignssuchasItsOnUsand
throughimplementingmandatorysexualassaultpreventioneducation.
WHEREAS
RescindingMr.Cosbyshonorarydegreewouldshowcontinuouscommitmentto
supportingsurvivorsofsexualassault.
BEITRESOLVED
ThattheStudentAssociationSenateformallycallsupontheGeorge
WashingtonUniversitytoimmediatelyreconsidertheirdecisionandrevokethehonorarydegree
giventoMr.BillCosbyin1997.
BEITRESOLVED
ThattheStudentAssociationSenateherebyrefusestotoleratesexual
assaultandrecognizestheimportanceofstandingwithsurvivorsofsexualassaultonourcampus
andglobally.

AcademicAffairsCommitteeReport: PassedPassedasamendedFailedWithdrawn
StudentLifeCommitteeReport:

PassedPassedasamendedFailedWithdrawn

SenateVote:

Yea

Nay

Abstain

CaseySyron,ExecutiveVicePresident

_____________________
Date

Attest:___________________________
KevinBurchill,SenateSecretary

_____________________
Date

_____________________________________________________________________________

PresidentialSubmission

AndreaDowd,President

_______________
Date

Approve/Veto