(a) All appropriation acts of all institutions of higher education subject to this subchapter shall be governed by this subchapter with respect to grades, class titles, salary increases, salary increase eligibility, and other provisions unless special language in the appropriation act of the institution specifically allows the institution to provide salary increases, grade assignments, class title assignments, salary increase eligibility, and other provisions different from those provided by this subchapter.

(b) When the intent of the General Assembly, by amendment to appropriation bills, is to allow a higher grade for a classification than that listed in this subchapter, the grade assigned to the classification in the appropriation act for the classification, as designated with the higher grade, shall be the grade for the classification in the institution during the biennium.

(c) When a higher grade is authorized in this subchapter for classifications that are not reflected in the appropriation act of an institution, this subchapter shall set the grades to be authorized in an institution's appropriation act for the biennium unless special language in the appropriation act of an institution allows the institution to provide salary increases other than that provided in this subchapter.

(d) It is the intent of this section that the institutions governed by this subchapter be authorized to allow grades as provided in the appropriation acts of the institutions, provided that the rules that apply to salary increases under this subchapter shall not be waived unless special language in the appropriation act of the institution authorizes the institution to provide increases other than those authorized under this subchapter.