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Howard College introduced on Friday that it could revoke an honorary diploma that was awarded to the hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2014. The choice comes within the wake of Mr. Combs’s admission that he bodily abused a former girlfriend, along with a slew of different allegations of abuse which have surfaced in latest months.
On the conclusion of a gathering of the Howard College board of trustees, the physique voted unanimously “to just accept the return by Mr. Sean Combs of the honorary diploma,” in line with an announcement launched by the college. Howard additionally mentioned that it could revoke all honors and privileges related to the diploma.
Mr. Combs, 54, also referred to as “Puff” and “Diddy,” attended the college from 1987 to 1989 however left earlier than graduating. In 2016, he pledged $1 million to ascertain the Sean Combs Scholarship Fund, which went to college students in want of economic support.
Video footage surfaced final month of Mr. Combs putting, kicking and dragging his former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, recognized professionally as Cassie, in 2016.
“Mr. Combs’s habits as captured in a lately launched video is so basically incompatible with Howard College’s core values and beliefs that he’s deemed now not worthy to carry the establishment’s highest honor,” the assertion mentioned.
Howard College didn’t instantly reply to further requests for remark.
In November 2023, Ms. Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing Mr. Combs of rape and bodily abuse; they reached a settlement the subsequent day. Then, in Could, CNN printed surveillance footage it had acquired from a Los Angeles lodge that confirmed Mr. Combs attacking Ms. Ventura close to the constructing’s elevators.
Mr. Combs subsequently posted an apology video on Instagram with the caption “I’m actually sorry.”
“I hit all-time low — however I make no excuses,” he mentioned within the apology video. “My habits on that video is inexcusable. I take full accountability for my actions in that video.”
Howard College was based in 1867 to coach freed slaves, and right this moment is a famend traditionally Black college. Notable alumni embody politicians, actors and writers, akin to Vice President Kamala Harris and the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator Toni Morrison. Final yr, the college awarded honorary levels to Consultant James E. Clyburn of South Carolina and Keith Christopher Rowley, the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
The lack of the honorary diploma comes amid ongoing authorized troubles for Mr. Combs, who’s the founding father of Dangerous Boy Information. In March, federal brokers raided Mr. Combs’s properties in Los Angeles and the Miami space, which officers mentioned was associated partly to a human trafficking investigation. No expenses have been filed in relation to that case.
The raids adopted lawsuits during which 4 girls, together with Ms. Ventura, accused Mr. Combs of rape and sexual assault and a person accused him of undesirable sexual contact. Legal professionals for Mr. Combs have begun to file motions to dismiss the sexual assault fits.
This month, as his authorized troubles mounted, Mr. Combs bought his majority stake in his media firm, Revolt. He had beforehand bought his half of a liquor model, DeLeón, for roughly $200 million after its mother or father firm mentioned Mr. Combs’s popularity had been tarnished. And a New York constitution faculty community Mr. Combs had labored to broaden reduce ties with him.
Along with stripping Mr. Combs of the honorary diploma, Howard mentioned that it could return his $1 million contribution and disband the scholarship program in his title.
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