Howard University Students Want Phylicia Rashad Fired After She Showed Support For Bill Cosby's Release
July 2 2021, Published 12:31 p.m. ET
Howard University students are coming for Phylicia Rashad, and she's just two days into the job.
Students and alumni of the Washington, D.C. college are joining the #ByePhylicia outrage after Rashad threw her support in Bill Cosby's corner following his Wednesday prison release.
The 73-year-old actress -- who famously played Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show -- was crowned the university's Dean of its College of Fine Arts.
Her first day was Thursday, and students are already demanding for her to be fired.
"Hold her ass accountable,” Whitney Meritus, who graduated from Howard in 2004, demanded.
“I think it’s good that Phylicia Rashad spoke up and showed us she’s not qualified to be the Dean of the College of Fine Arts,” tweeted Andrew Addison, who is another alumni.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Rashad's so new to the staff that her mug hasn't even been added to the college's dean directory list.
We spoke to one staff member who ensured us that Rashad's photo will be added once they update the site's page.
As RadarOnline.com reported, all hell broke loose after The Cosby Show actress celebrated her TV husband's sexual assault conviction overturned on a legal technicality.
“A terrible wrong is being righted — a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” she tweeted following the news.
After collection major backlash -- most notably from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum Janet Hubert -- Rashad seemingly backtracked on her comments.
"I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward," Rashad wrote.
"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," she added.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
RadarOnline.com has reached out to Howard regarding where Rashad's job stands.
The university did release a statement following her Cosby tweet and seemingly stuck by her side.
"Survivors of sexual assault will always be our priority. While Dean Rashad has acknowledged in her follow-up tweet that victims must be heard and believed, her initial tweet lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault," their statement read.
“We will continue to advocate for survivors fully and support their right to be heard,” the university continued. “Howard will stand with survivors and challenge systems that would deny them justice. We have full confidence that our faculty and school leadership will live up to this sacred commitment.”
