****UPDATE: The Board of Trustees voted as part of the consent agenda on Thursday, May 31, to revoke Cosby’s honorary degree.****

UNC has started the process of revoking an honorary degree given to Bill Cosby in the wake of the comedian’s sexual assault conviction.

UNC Chancellor Carol Folt wrote to the Board of Trustees in a statement published Wednesday that she was initiating the process via mail ballot to revoke Cosby’s degree, which was awarded in 2003.

“This is the first known time that the University has taken steps to rescind an honorary degree, and we do not take this action lightly.”

Folt wrote that she felt this action was proper because “Cosby’s acts were so counter to our campus values that this prestigious honor is no longer appropriate.”

“Honorary degrees are awarded based on the information available at that time, and we do not intend to review the actions of each recipient years later.”

Folt added that the university has “no tolerance for sexual assault, and we have worked diligently in recent years to comprehensively revise our sexual assault and misconduct policy and enhance resources for our community.”

Trustees will vote on the matter via mail ballot, and it will formally be brought before the board at its regular May meeting.

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