While other schools which have been funded by Bill back away from him, he remains a beloved benefactor to the historically black, liberal arts women's college in Atlanta.
- Nov 26, 2014
AceShowbiz - As Bill Cosby continues to face sexual assault allegations, he is still supported by Spelman College while some schools funded by him are pulling their support. Spelman received $20 million gift from Bill and his wife Camille in 1988.
The Atlanta's historically black, liberal arts women's college named one of their buildings the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby EdD Academic Center. The school also has a long-running William and Camille Cosby Endowed Professorship Program.
When asked if Bill's sexual assault scandal might sour the school on the comedian, Spelman's spokeswoman Andrey Arthur told New York Daily News, "I can't comment on the allegations."
The school is the alma mater of Keshia Knight Pulliam, who starred as Bill's youngest daughter Rudy Huxtable on "The Cosby Show".
Other schools like High Point University in North Carolina and Berklee College of Music in Boston backed away from Bill amid the growing sexual assault scandal. High Point University removed the comedian from their National Board of Advisors, a panel that includes retired General Colin Powell.
The school described Bill as "one of the most influential performers of our time" when they announced his appointment back in July.
Berklee College of Music, meanwhile, announced on Monday, November 24 that they're "no longer awarding an online scholarship in Mr. Cosby's name. The college has no further comment at this time."
Another accuser named Jena T., who did not want to be identified by her full name, just came forward with details of the sexual assault allegation against Bill. She told PEOPLE, "I get so excited when I see what I feel are my sisters coming forward. Every time the story comes up I feel a little bit more alive, like maybe one day this will be common knowledge and I won't have to be undercover anymore about this part of my life."
Jena, who was one of the women who spoke to lawyers in 2005 and 2006 to support Andrea Constand in her lawsuit against the comedian, said he earned her parents' trust before pressuring her to perform a sexual favor for him. "He looked like my father. He promised my parents he'd take care of me. The first time I met him, I had tears in my eyes," she said of Cosby.
Jena claimed she met Bill when she was 17 in 1988. She alleged Bill gave her $700 after she gave him a hand job at his house in the following year. "I'm sure he fixed something to drink," Jena shared, "He knew that I was ready to submit. The whole thing was like - I just knew that I gave him a hand job... I'm like a robot, and that is what I became, and that is what I did for him."
As the allegations against Bill are continuously growing, two more shows featuring the comedian were canceled. According to BBC, the Capitol Theatre in Washington State said a scheduled show for the comedian on November 29 "had been postponed indefinitely." Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino said Bill's performance on January 31 had been postponed.
