All officers and employees of the State Department of Education as mutually agreed by the Department of General Services to be on the operative date of this section serving in the state civil service, other than as temporary employees, and engaged in the performance of the function vested in the Department of General Services by this article shall be transferred to the Department of General Services. The status, position, and rights of such persons shall not be affected by the transfer and shall be retained by them as officers and employees of the Department of General Services pursuant to the State Civil Service Act, except as to positions exempt from civil service.