The Trump administration is investigating the City University of New York over allegations of racial discrimination, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday.
The agency’s civil rights arm said it received reports alleging CUNY’s Black Male Initiative gives preference to some students over others on the basis of race.
“Race can never play a role when deciding how to distribute educational resources or opportunities,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement. “This Justice Department will not tolerate universities directing educational benefits to certain students over others based on their race.”
CUNY spokespeople did not immediately return a request for comment.
The mission of the Black Male Initiative is to increase the enrollment, GPAs and graduation rates of students historically underrepresented in higher education. The initiative funds programs on a majority of CUNY campuses and is open to students of all races and gender, according to its website.
The probe is the latest example of the Trump administration going after higher education programs focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The federal government similarly targeted New York University and dozens of other institutions as part of its investigation related to the PhD Project, a program federal officials alleged limits eligibility on the basis of race.
It comes after a conservative legal advocacy group, the Equal Protection Project, brought a lawsuit this month accusing the CUNY initiative of violating federal civil rights law.
During a budget hearing on Monday, CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez confirmed the public university system receives federal funding, including some grants that have already been canceled.
In recent years, CUNY has received $888 million through the federal Title IV program — which includes grants, loans and work-study programs — and 57% of CUNY students receive federal financial aid, according to university data.
