Students at Northwestern University in Illinois are calling for the removal of a guest scholar for views he's expressed in articles titled "Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women?" "Why Liberals and Atheists are More Intelligent," and "What's Wrong with Muslims?"

Satoshi Kanazawa's other titles include "Why What You See Really Is What You Get," a video that explains, in his opinion, that "you indeed can judge a book by its cover — nice people look nice and nasty people look nasty."

"Just by looking at people ... you can often tell who are criminals and who are law-abiding citizens ... because they do look different," Kanazawa said in a bigthink.com video.

In another published paper, Kanazawa wrote, "For cultural, social, and institutional reasons, Asians cannot make original contributions to basic science. ... I believe that its future will continue to be in the United States and Europe."

Students say they want Kanazawa removed.

"Ban Dr. Satoshi Kanazawa from conducting research at Northwestern," is the title of an online petition signed by 4,174 people who object to Kanazawa's line of thinking.

"Kanazawa is just one in a growing number of academics using his intellectual identity to promote racism, sexism and xenophobia," the petition states. "Kanazawa's misogynoir nonsense should not be tolerated on Northwestern's campus, a campus that prides itself with its commitment to support a diverse and inclusive campus community."

"Kanazawa's fraud research and studies reflect modern eugenics, and Northwestern should be ashamed of approving his application to conduct research in Evanston."

Eugenics was a movement in the early 1900s that promoted breeding for a better society. By 1936, more than 60,000 sterilizations were forced in the United States "on mostly poor (and often African-American) people confined to mental hospitals.

Students are also asking the university to examine procedures that vet visiting scholars. In an editorial penned by the college staff of the Daily Northwestern news site, the psychology department chair who approved Kanazawa's request said he was "not aware" of the controversies.

"Meanwhile," the news site staff wrote, "a simple Google search of his name is enough to pull up several articles about his racist views, work controversies and more; many of the pieces themselves are available online as well."

University provost's response

Northwestern's Provost Jonathan Holloway agreed.

"I find that his scholarship presents ideas that are antithetical to values that Northwestern University holds dear," Holloway wrote to the Northwestern community.

However, Holloway wrote, "intellectual freedom" should prevail over "odious" views.

"Due to the open nature of a comprehensive research university, there will unfortunately be occasions when offensive ideas emerge and when people advance arguments that run afoul of well-established, peer-reviewed research findings," Holloway wrote Dec. 13.

"When these moments arise, the first thing that must be done is to remind the community of the University's values, standards and principles if they are at odds with these people or their research. This is such a moment."

Holloway wrote that Kanazawa doesn't teach, and the university does not pay him.

"Like all guest research scholars, he is entitled to express his personal views, including on his personal web pages, as long as he does not represent such opinions as the views of the University," Holloway wrote.

"Kanazawa has made clear his opinions are his own. As a member of the Northwestern community, I believe that personally held views, no matter how odious, cannot be a reason to undermine the vital principle of intellectual freedom that all academic institutions serve to protect."

Attempts to reach Kanazawa were not returned.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.