DOJ Investigates CUNY’s Black Men’s Initiative

The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has initiated an investigation into the Black Men’s Initiative (BMI) at the City University of New York (CUNY). This initiative aims to “increase, encourage, and support the inclusion and educational success of students from groups significantly underrepresented in higher education,” particularly focusing on men of African descent, African American/Black, Caribbean, and Latino/Hispanic heritage.

The Justice Department announced this investigation on Tuesday, highlighting potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination by institutions receiving federal funding.

“Race should never dictate how educational resources and opportunities are distributed,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. She added that universities should not give educational advantages to certain groups based on race alone.

As of now, the DOJ’s civil rights division has not yet come to any conclusions regarding the university’s actions. CUNY has not responded to requests for comment on this matter.

The BMI has been in place for nearly 21 years, aiming to boost enrollment and graduation rates among underrepresented students. Interestingly, this isn’t the first time the initiative has come under scrutiny. In 2012, during the Obama administration, it was investigated but deemed acceptable for universities to engage in race-targeted recruitment.

Recently, the Equal Protection Project (EPP) filed a civil rights lawsuit against CUNY, arguing that BMI operates on 24 campuses, where often white students are in the minority. They asserted that if a “white male initiative” were structured similarly, it would not be tolerated.

These developments are part of a broader trend. The Trump administration has pursued several investigations into U.S. universities for allegedly violating civil rights laws in favor of minority students, raising questions about fairness in educational practices.