The university also said in a statement that it is terminating a 2016 gift agreement with the disgraced music mogul and returning his $1 million contribution
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ honorary degree has been rescinded by Howard University.
The historically black college and university (HBCU) announced the decision in a statement on Friday, June 7, three weeks after Combs was seen physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura in a 2016 hotel surveillance video. Combs is also facing multiple ongoing sexual assault lawsuits.
A Howard University spokesperson said in a statement on the school’s website that its Board of Trustees “voted unanimously today to accept the return by Mr. Sean Combs of the honorary degree conferred upon him in 2014.”
It added that the decision “revokes all honors and privileges associated with the degree.”
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His name will also be pulled from documents and lists of those who have received honorary degrees from the university.
Citing the disturbing video, the spokesperson continued: “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.”
In addition to revoking his honorary degree, Howard is ending a gift agreement with Combs from 2016, and dissolving his namesake scholarship program. It will return $1 million that he gifted to the school and is canceling its pledge agreement with the Sean Combs Foundation that was made last year.
Howard noted, “No payments toward the $1 million pledge have been due or made by the Sean Combs Foundation as of this date,” so there are no funds to return for the 2023 pledge agreement.
PEOPLE reached out to a rep for Combs for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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PARAS GRIFFIN/GETTY ; DOMINIK BINDL/GETTY
In the surveillance video obtained by CNN on May 20, Combs is seen grabbing Ventura by the neck before pulling her to the ground and violently kicking her. As she lies motionless on the ground, he kicks her again and drags her toward their hotel room before letting go and walking away. Elsewhere in the clip, Combs throws an object at Ventura.
Diddy later issued an apology on Instagram, stating that he was “disgusted” by his actions in the footage. Ventura also released a social media statement, writing in part, “Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from the past.”
The exact incident was detailed in her now-settled lawsuit filed against Combs last November.
Combs has since been sued by multiple sexual assault accusers, with the sixth woman filing a lawsuit last month.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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