Five universities, including his alma mater, have rescinded comedian Bill Cosby’s honorary degrees in the wake of his sexual assault conviction.

“As a university, we stand in firm opposition to sexual assault, whether on our campuses or elsewhere,” said Johns Hopkins University spokesman Dennis O’Shea said in a statement. “This decision underscores that opposition.”

“The university will not tolerate sexual violence, intimate partner violence, stalking or sexual harassment,” added Carnegie Mellon in an unsigned statement. “These acts are against the law and violate our core values.”

Notre Dame, Boston College, and even Cosby’s alma mater Temple University have all revoked their honorary degrees as well.

The president of Wesleyan University said he planned to ask the board of trustees to revoke Cosby’s degree. A Yale spokesman said the university would review its long-standing practice of not rescinding such awards.

“The conduct of which Cosby was convicted today is profoundly disturbing and deeply contrary to the mission of Yale and our expectations for behaviour,” spokesman Tom Conroy told the Yale Daily News.

Bill Cosby leaves court after being charged with three counts of indecent assault

Cosby was convicted this week of sexually assaulting former basketball player Andrea Constand in 2004. Ms Constand was the women’s basketball programme director at Temple at the time, and said in court that she went to Cosby’s house that night seeking career advice.

Temple Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick O’Connor previously represented Cosby when he first faced allegations of sexual assault. He recused himself from discussions on rescinding the honorary degree, according to the Associated Press.

Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Winner of his first Emmy for 'I Spy' is Bill Cosby being congratulated by his wife Camille held at Americana Hotel, 1966 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby in 'I Spy', 1960s Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby in July 1973 in Perth Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor in 'California Suite', 1978 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby and Elmo in Sesame Street, 1989 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby poses for a picture with Florence Griffith-Joyner in June 1989 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Comedian Bill Cosby back in 1992 Rex Features Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby A scene from a 1992 episode of 'The Cosby Show' AP Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby US Monica Seles breaks into laughter as she jokes with comedian Bill Cosby during a celebrity match in the stadium at the US Open for the Arthur Ashe AIDS Challenge on 27 August 1995 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby meets Toronto Blue Jays' All-Star Joe Carter after the Stars played the Stripes in the Celebrity All-Star game which preceded workouts for the 67th All-Star Game at Veterans Stadium on 8 July 1996 in Philadephia Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Co-hosts Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby joke with each other during the opening of the 2000 Essence Awards 14 April 2000 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby jokes with baseball great Hank Aaron after they both received the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award from U.S. President George W. Bush during a ceremony on 9 July 2002 at the White House in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby poses backstage after winning the 'Bob Hope Humanitarian Award' during the 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on 21 September 2003 in Los Angeles Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno and comedian Bill Cosby laugh during a surprise visit by Cosby to sign a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that Leno is using to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina at NBC studios on 9 September 2005 in Burbank, California Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby speaks during a taping of 'Meet the Press' at the NBC studios on 14 October 2007 in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby at the 12th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center on 26 October 2009 in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby speaks at the National Action Network's 20th annual Keepers of the Dream Awards gala in New York on 6 April 2011 Reuters Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby during the 100th anniversary celebration of the Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows supporting the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the American Comedy Fund, 2012 Getty Images Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby speaks onstage at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund 25th Awards Gala on 11 November 2013 in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby performs at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino on 26 September 2014 in Las Vegas

More than 50 other women have accused Cosby of sexually assaulting them, though Ms Constand is the first to have stood trial. The actor has denied all sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Notre Dame acknowledged these allegations in a statement on Thursday.

“While certainly troubled by serious, public accusations made by multiple women against Cosby, the university elected to wait until due process had been afforded the accused, and a verdict delivered, before rescinding the honour,” university president John I Jenkins said.

Cosby has been awarded nearly 60 honorary degrees from different colleges over the course of his career, according to Inside Higher Ed. Such academic degrees are generally given to professionals who did not attend the institution, to recognise significant contributions to a field.

More than a dozen universities – including Ohio State, Fordham, and Marquette – revoked Cosby’s honorary degrees before the start of the trial.