(a) The director of architectural services shall attend all meetings of the state building advisory commission and keep a full and correct record of its proceedings which when approved by the commission and signed by the chairperson shall be the official record. The director of architectural services shall have such powers and duties as may be prescribed or imposed by the secretary of administration or by law.

(b) Subject to approval by the secretary of administration and in accordance with appropriation acts, the director of architectural services shall appoint the professional, technical, administrative, clerical and other personnel of the division of architectural services. Except as provided in Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 75-1202a and 75-2935 and amendments thereto, all positions of the division of architectural services shall be in the classified service under the Kansas civil service act. Each person who has been employed continuously for at least the six-month period immediately prior to the effective date of this act in a professional or administrative position in the division of architectural services, which is placed in the classified service under the Kansas civil service act by this act, shall continue in such position and shall attain permanent status in that classified position without examination and without a probationary period. Such person shall retain all retirement benefits earned prior to the effective date of this act and such person’s service shall be deemed to have been continuous.