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Howard University confirmed Friday the institution’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to revoke Sean “Diddy” Combs’ honorary degree. This comes in the wake of Combs admitting he physically abused his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway after video of the altercation recently surfaced.
The video, which was taken on March 5, 2016, shows Combs grabbing, shoving and kicking Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura. The footage matches allegations made in her lawsuit filed last November.
The University reported the vote to return the degree, which was first bestowed upon Combs in 2014, with a lengthy statement that reads as follows:
“The Howard University Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to accept the return by Mr. Sean Combs of the honorary degree conferred upon him in 2014. This acceptance revokes all honors and privileges associated with the degree. Accordingly, the Board has directed that his name be removed from all documents listing honorary degree recipients of Howard University. 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 statement also makes note that the University administration has been directed to terminate a 2016 “gift agreement” with Combs, in addition to disbanding the scholarship program in his name, and returning his $1 million contribution. Combs was a student at Howard from 1987 to 1989.
They will further terminate a 2023 pledge agreement with the Sean Combs Foundation. The statement added that no payments toward the 2023 pledge had been made, which means no funds need to be returned.
Ventura and Combs settled the November lawsuit just one day after singer Ventura filed the complaint. In it, she alleged the Bad Boy Entertainment mogul raped and beat her over a period of a decade. Both parties issued statements that vaguely touched on the decision, with the overall sentiment being they mutually decided to resolve matters amicably. Combs’ lawyers noted that the settlement was in “no way an admission of wrongdoing,” and did not “in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims.”
Only after CNN shared footage of the 2016 altercation did Combs apologize for his behavior with a video message shared to his Instagram.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you gotta do that. I was fucked up. I mean, I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses,” Combs said on Instagram. “My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in this video. They’re disgusting. I was disgusted then when I did it, I’m disgusted now. I went and I sought professional help. I’ve been going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry, but I’m committed to being a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I am truly sorry.”
While Ventura’s lawsuit has been settled, her admissions triggered numerous other complaints against Combs. Within a month of her suit, Combs was hit with three lawsuits alleging sexual assault and in February, former associate Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed a suit claiming unwanted sexual advances and coercion to hire sex workers and engage in relations with them.
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