Except as expressly limited by other provisions of this Agreement, all of the authority, rights and responsibilities possessed by the State are retained by it, including, but not limited to, the right to determine the mission, purposes, objectives and policies of the State; to determine the facilities, methods, means and number of personnel required for conduct of State programs; to administer the Merit System, including the examination, selection, recruitment, hiring, appraisal, training, retention, promotion, assignment or transfer of employees pursuant to law; to direct, deploy and utilize the work force, to establish specifications for each class of positions and to classify or reclassify and to allocate or reallocate new or existing positions in accordance with law; and to discipline or discharge employees in accordance with law and the provisions of this Agreement.