Cosby won't speak at Temple graduation

Temple University's May 8 commencement will proceed this year without one of its staples - an address by disgraced entertainer and alum Bill Cosby.

University officials confirmed Saturday that Cosby - who resigned his position on the board of trustees in December as numerous decades-old allegations of sexual assault mounted - will not speak at Temple's commencement.

Multiple sources had said in December that he would not speak; a spokesman went on the record Saturday.

"Dr. Cosby spoke in the past as a member of the board of trustees," Temple's Ray Betzner said. "He resigned as a trustee in the fall and so is not on the program."

The university has announced that Kevin Negandhi, Class of 1998, weekday morning anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter, will deliver the 10 a.m. commencement address at the ceremony at Temple's Liacouras Center.

Receiving honorary degrees are Malcolm Hoenlein, Class of 1965, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and James Joo-Jin Kim, executive chairman of Amkor Technology Inc. and cofounder of Electronics Boutique.

"This year's honorary degree recipients are highly successful national and international leaders and influencers," president Neil D. Theobald said in a statement. "Our graduating students will be inspired and motivated by their extraordinary determination and achievement and their take-charge approach to their careers and lives."

Cosby, who had served on the board of trustees for more than 30 years, had been a popular speaker at university commencements for years.

A native of Philadelphia, Cosby attended Temple in the early 1960s on a track-and-field scholarship. He studied physical education and also played football before leaving to pursue a comedy career. He returned to Temple to earn his bachelor's degree in 1971, according to a university spokesman.

It was about a decade ago that Cosby faced sexual-assault allegations from more than a dozen women as part of a since-settled civil suit filed in Montgomery County. The allegations were highlighted again last October when comedian Hannibal Buress, during a Philadelphia performance, accused Cosby of being a rapist. A video of the performance, captured by a Philadelphia Magazine writer, went viral. And one by one, women came forward and put their names to the accusations.

About 20 women had come forward with allegations against him by the time he resigned his seat.