The University of Southern California expelled CBS executive Les Moonves from the advisory body of his film school and removed his name from a media center in the light of several accusations of sexual assault against him.
Moonves has lost his seat on the Board of Trustees of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, an advisory body to the dean, until at least October, according to a university statement on Wednesday.
"The School takes the recent allegations very seriously and will discuss other measures when the Board meets in October," said USC.
The Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism of the USC also temporarily suspended the use of the name of Julie Chen / Leslie Moonves CBS Media Center.
"In recognition of the sensitivities surrounding recent allegations against Mr. Moonves, he and Ms. Chen have requested that USN Annenberg temporarily suspend the use of the media center's name until the investigation is concluded," a USC spokesman said.
The Annenberg Schoolroom for Communication and Journalism has been named Julie Chen / Leslie Moonves CBS Media Center since its opening in 2015. Chen, who is married to Moonves, graduated from Annenberg in 1991, and she and her husband had promised a gift for the school.
An article in Friday's New Yorker detailed six women's accusations against the powerful executive of unwanted contact and kissing media between the 1980s and the late 2000s.
Moonves denied the accusations, saying on the way out that "she always understood and respected – and followed the principle – that 'no' means 'no'"
Chen said that she supports her husband despite the accusations.
Earlier this week, the alma mater of Moonves, Bucknell University, removed all mentions of him from his website. Moonves graduated from Bucknell in 1971 and spoke at the school graduation ceremony in 2016.
Bucknell president John Bravman wrote in a note to the university that Bucknell "will not tolerate sexual misconduct," according to a university spokesman who said the school is evaluating whether to take "any additional action that may be appropriate. "
CBS said Friday it would launch an investigation into the allegations through an outside attorney. The board of directors of the company decided not to take any immediate disciplinary action against Moonves on Monday.
USC has been facing its own scandal recently. Hundreds of former students have sued the school for allegedly ignoring complaints about a campus gynecologist who abused female patients for decades.
Need help? Visit RAINN National Hotline for Sexual Assault or National Resource Center against Sexual Violence website .
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