BRISTOL, R.I.

Roger Williams University and the Rhode Island Latino Policy Institute have agreed on a research partnership.

The newly designated Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University will work with academic and non-academic institutions to gather data on Latinos in Rhode Island and serve as a resource for state and local policy makers, the university announced.

“Like many states, Rhode Island is at a critical policy juncture on a number of issues, including education, economic security, immigration and healthcare,” said RWU President, Roy J. Nirschel. “[The institute] will ultimately shape future public policy by creating a better understanding of the significant contributions of the Rhode Island Latino population. RWU's long history of connecting academic research to the broader global society will help to attract further resources and cultivate strategic partnerships for this important initiative in our state."

As part of the three-year agreement, RWU, an independent liberal arts university, provides office headquarters and additional resources to support the institute's mission.

The institute’ said its goal is to better document and understand the social, economic and civic contributions of Latinos in Rhode Island to improve the quality of life for Latinos and the state as a whole.

“This new collaboration will foster our ability to affect positive changes in Rhode Island by providing critical information on our growing Latino population,” said Domingo Morel, co-founder of the Rhode Island Latino Policy Institute.

Latinos are the largest minority population in Rhode Island and their numbers are expected to double by the year 2020. The announcement said that, considering the projections, the university will make the case that what is good for Latinos is also good for the state.