“Under fire from at least 20 women who have accused him of sexual assault, Bill Cosby resigned Monday from Temple University’s board of trustees, a seat he had held since 1982,” reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. Temple University is located in Philadelphia.

The article reports: “The decision followed high-level discussions by university leaders over the last couple of days. They grappled with how to treat a man who has long been identified with Temple, who wore Temple sweatshirts and hung Temple flags on the set of ‘The Cosby Show,’ who for years has been a popular speaker at university commencements, and who has never faced criminal charges of assault.”

Late Monday afternoon, Dec. 1, 2014, the university released this statement from Cosby: “I have always been proud of my association with Temple University. I have always wanted to do what would be in the best interests of the university and its students. As a result, I have tendered my resignation. …”

In response, “The board said it accepted the resignation and ‘thanks him for his service to the university,’ ” the paper reported.

The story adds: “Several trustees in recent days had spoken in support of the 77-year-old comedian [and] actor … while others in the Temple community were concerned that the board leadership was staying mum and issuing no official statement.”