Except as otherwise provided in the Kansas civil service act or by rules and regulations adopted thereunder, all appointments within the classified service shall be for a probationary period, the length of which for the several classes in the classified service shall be determined by rules and regulations, but dismissals, suspensions or demotions may be made at any time during such period. At or before the end of the probationary period the appointing authority shall notify the director in writing whether or not the probationer is a satisfactory employee and should receive the status of a permanent employee.