The U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into City University of New York’s Black Male Initiative, alleging the student success program may violate civil-rights law by providing educational benefits on the basis of race. DOJ said it received reports the initiative is effectively race-directed, despite CUNY’s descriptions that activities are open to all eligible students. DOJ’s announcement adds to a wave of civil-rights investigations affecting higher education programs designed to boost outcomes for students of color. CUNY’s initiative spans multiple campuses and focuses on peer mentoring, tutoring and workshops tied to academic and entrepreneurship outcomes. CUNY says the program is open without regard to race or other protected characteristics and describes its goal as improving graduation and retention metrics for men from underrepresented backgrounds. DOJ has not reached conclusions, but the inquiry raises the stakes for institutions using targeted student success models in federally funded settings.