In a significant move, Howard University has made the decision to revoke the honorary degree it awarded to rapper and entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs. Additionally, the university has returned a $1 million donation given by Combs and discontinued a scholarship program that was named after him. This action comes in response to a video that surfaced showing Combs engaging in a violent altercation with singer Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.

Howard University, a historically Black institution located in Washington DC, released a statement expressing that Combs' behavior is fundamentally incompatible with the values and beliefs held by the university. The school emphasized its unwavering opposition to all acts of interpersonal violence.

Combs, who attended Howard University for two years before dropping out in 1990, had been awarded an honorary doctorate and later became the commencement speaker in the same year. In 2016, he donated $1 million to the university, intending to create a scholarship fund for undergraduate business students in need of financial aid, which included internships and mentoring opportunities.

However, the same year, Combs was involved in a highly-publicized incident where he physically assaulted Ventura, who was his girlfriend at the time. Surveillance cameras captured his aggressive behavior in a Los Angeles hotel. Ventura subsequently filed a lawsuit against Combs, alleging rape and severe physical abuse during their relationship, which spanned from 2007 to 2018. Combs settled the lawsuit with Ventura, but this did not prevent additional lawsuits from being filed against him, alleging sexual assault and other instances of physical violence.

Furthermore, in March, federal authorities conducted raids on Combs' properties in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a sex-trafficking investigation. The legal troubles surrounding Combs intensified when CNN obtained and released a video showing him physically assaulting Ventura, contradicting his previous denials and casting doubt on his credibility.

Following these events, Howard University's governing board convened for a scheduled meeting and decided to disassociate the institution from Combs. This involved revoking his honorary degree, discontinuing the scholarship program named after him, and returning the $1 million donation. The board also directed that Combs' name be removed from all documents listing honorary degree recipients.

The university's actions come just over two weeks after Ventura issued a statement urging people to believe victims of abuse. While Combs released a video apology, expressing his disgust with his behavior and offering no excuses, the repercussions of his actions have been significant.

This decision by Howard University sends a clear message that the institution remains committed to upholding its core values and ensuring the safety and well-being of its students.