Howard University recently made the significant decision to revoke the honorary Doctor of Humanities degree it had awarded to Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2014. This move came in response to the release of a disturbing video from 2016, which surfaced in mid-2024, showing Combs physically assaulting his former partner, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura. The incident sparked considerable backlash due to its incompatibility with the university’s values.

In addition to revoking the degree, the university announced it would return the $1 million donation Combs had made in 2016 and cancel a subsequent $1 million pledge from his foundation made in 2023. Howard also disbanded the scholarship program that had been established in his name. The university’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to take these actions, citing that Combs’ behavior in the video was “fundamentally incompatible with Howard University’s core values and beliefs”​