(U-WIRE) STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford University was named the best university in the nation for educating Hispanic students in last month’s issue of Hispanicmagazine.com. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and Duke universities ranked second, third and fourth, respectively.

The top 25 listed schools were required to have a Hispanic enrollment of at least 7 percent and were ranked based on their academic quality, according to the Web site. Hispanic students compromise 12 percent of Stanford’s undergraduate student body.

Ironically, none of the schools in the top 10 ranked among the top 100 schools that award the most bachelor’s degrees to Hispanic students.

Frances Morales, director of El Centro Chicano, said important criteria for Hispanic students when choosing a university include academic programs, financial aid options and community support.

“I believe this is an area where Stanford outshines its competitors,” she said, referring to the community support. “Stanford has a long standing commitment to diversity and affirmative action.”

Morales said that, in her experience, the welcoming Latino community and rich cultural traditions that many students encounter during Stanford’s Admit Weekends are a major factor in their decisions to attend Stanford.

Morales also praised El Centro Chicano as a key aspect of the Hispanic community at Stanford.

“Student Satisfaction Surveys conducted in the past reveal that 94 percent of Chicano and Latino students who use the services provided by El Centro Chicano agree that the center enhances community life and offers support for their academic endeavors,” she said.

Many students, however, disagreed that Stanford provides a friendly and supportive environment for its Hispanic students.

“This campus’ Latino community is extremely exclusive, categorical, creates many limitations and is very unwelcoming,” sophomore Laura Rodriguez said. “It is a place of discomfort and anger.”

Freshman George Morris concurred that the atmosphere of the Stanford Latino community is less than ideal. Students in the Latino community are not very active at Stanford, he said.

– Victoria Degtyareva

“Everyone is concentrated at Casa Zapata and horrible Latino events including fake Mexican food and very few cultural events and speakers – do not help,” he said.

Other students, while not unhappy with the Stanford Latino community, said they thought that Stanford’s high ranking was unwarranted.

“I think Stanford is the ideal environment for all students, and it has nothing to do with your race,” freshman Amanda Mendoza said. “I think that the award promotes separatism, and I do not support it.”

Anna Marie Porras, director of undergraduate admission, said the award says little about the specific experience of Latino students on campus. Rather, it demonstrates that Stanford provides a good experience for students in general.

“This ranking confirms what so many students have already experienced here – that Stanford uniquely encourages students to be challenged intellectually in a comfortable way, to develop the cultural competence necessary to succeed in today’s diverse world and to participate actively in the creation of knowledge and the discovery of new ideas,” Porras said.

She added that while the university is pleased to be, once again, ranked as the best school for Hispanic students, Stanford does not actively seek such titles or rankings.

“We will continue to promote the best experience for our students, regardless of such recognition,” Porras said. “Our most important responsibility is educating and nurturing our students intellectually and culturally. There is, in other words, nothing we will be doing to ensure that we maintain this ranking, nor will we allow such rankings to drive any future changes to our programs.”