Howard Disavows Phylicia Rashad's Tweet In Support Of Bill Cosby

WASHINGTON, DC — Howard University distanced itself from the views of one of its deans, Phylicia Rashad, who expressed excitement Wednesday about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision overturning Bill Cosby's sexual assault sentence.

Actor and singer Rashad, who was named dean of Howard University’s College of Fine Arts in May, tweeted in support of the court’s decision early Wednesday afternoon.

“FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted — a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” Rashad tweeted.

On Wednesday night, Howard University said in a statement that Rashad’s “tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault.”

Rashad worked with Cosby for almost a decade in her role as his sitcom wife Clair Huxtable on NBC's "The Cosby Show." She has remained a staunch supporter of Cosby over the past half-dozen years as more than 60 women accused him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct.

After Rashad's comment quickly drew backlash and outrage, she issued a follow-up statement on Twitter Wednesday afternoon in which she said:

I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.

In response to Rashad's support for Cosby, Howard University said "survivors of sexual assault will always be our priority. ... We will continue to advocate for survivors fully and support their right to be heard. Howard will stand with survivors and challenge systems that would deny them justice."

Howard University said the "personal positions of University leadership do not reflect Howard University’s policies. We have full confidence that our faculty and school leadership will live up to this sacred commitment."

Rashad graduated magna cum laude in 1970 from Howard University with a bachelor of fine arts degree.

Cosby was released from prison Wednesday afternoon. The actor and comedian, now 83, was sentenced to three to 10 years behind bars in 2018 after being convicted of drugging and sexually abusing Andrea Constand inside his Pennsylvania home in 2004.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices ruled that Cosby could not be charged due to an immunity agreement he had in place with Bruce Castor, then the Montgomery County District Attorney (and more recently, the impeachment defense lawyer for President Donald Trump). That agreement, oft-cited during the years leading up to Cosby's trial and eventual conviction, included damning testimony in which Cosby admitted he gave quaaludes to women.

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