PURPOSES, OBJECTIVES, AND DUTIES OF THE CENTER.

The purposes, objectives, and duties of the center are as follows:

(1) to conduct studies in all areas that relate directly or indirectly to real estate and/or urban or rural economics and to publish and disseminate the findings and result of the studies;

(2) to assist the teaching program in real estate offered by the colleges and universities in the State of Texas when requested to do so, and to award scholarships and establish real estate chairs when funds are available;

(3) to supply material to the Texas Real Estate Commission for the preparation of the examinations for real estate salesmen and brokers, if requested to do so by the commission;

(4) to develop and from time to time revise and update materials for use in the extension courses in real estate offered by the universities and colleges in the State of Texas when requested to do so;

(5) to assist the Texas Real Estate Commission in developing standards for the accreditation of vocational schools and other teaching agencies giving courses in the field of real estate, and standards for the approval of courses in the field of real estate, as and when requested to do so by the commission;

(6) to make studies of and recommend changes in state statutes and municipal ordinances, providing however that no staff member of the center shall directly contact legislators or locally elected officials concerning the recommendations except to provide a factual response to an inquiry as to the method of research or nature of the findings;

(7) provided and except, however, that those conducting such research and studies shall periodically review their progress with the advisory committee or its designated representative, and the results of any research project, or study, shall not be published or disseminated until it has been reviewed and approved in writing by the advisory committee or its designated representative; and

(8) to prepare information of consumer interest describing the functions of the center and to make the information available to the general public and appropriate state agencies.