Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis no longer has the backing of his London alma mater.
Fanshawe College announced on Monday it is revoking the honorary diploma it presented to Haggis 16 years ago and ending a scholarship named in his honour. The decision to break ties with Haggis comes after the director was successfully sued last month in a New York civil case for sexually assaulting a publicist in 2013. Haggis was found liable for rape and was ordered to pay $7.5 million in compensatory damages and an additional $2.5 million in punitive damages.
"Fanshawe College strongly condemns any type of sexual violence," Fanshawe officials said in a statement Monday. "Based on recent court decisions involving former Fanshawe student Paul Haggis, Fanshawe is confirming that it has cancelled the scholarship it established with the Thames Valley District School Board in honour of Mr. Haggis."
The post secondary institution went on to state that it is also stripping Haggis of his honorary diploma.
"All images and references to Paul Haggis have been removed from the campus and the website," Fanshawe said.
Haggis graduated from Fanshawe's cinematography program in the 1970s before moving to California. He went on to win Academy Awards for the films “Crash” and “Million Dollar Baby.”
Last week, city council voted unanimously to remove the director's name from a south London park. The green space at 2875 Bateman Trail was constructed and dubbed Paul Haggis Park in 2011 after the director, screenwriter, and producer was given a lifetime recognition by the city in 2006. City staff have begun the renaming process and are expected to bring back new name suggestions for the park in the new year.
Multiple women have come forward since 2017 to accuse Haggis of sexual assault and misconduct. The most recent accusation levelled against him came earlier this year when a woman in Europe accused him of sexually assaulting her. That resulted in Haggis briefly being placed under house arrest. Charges in relation to that incident were later dropped.
