Research Intensive Semester- Counting Prior Course Releases?

A pre-tenured tenure track member was informed that prior course releases granted upon hire fulfilled the terms of the Research Intensive Semester (RIS) guaranteed in Article 15.7.1 (the latter grants faculty a semester of teaching free work or two semesters with a single course load reduction). However, the member was hired at 3/3, rather than 2/2 (which is the current contractual norm for a full time load) and never actually received a teaching free semester nor a 1/1 academic year. The FSU Grievance Committee reviewed the matter and assessed that the intention of the RIS semester is to have either one semester teaching load reduced to zero or two semesters with one. Therefore, the Grievance Committee asserts that this member and others who are similarly situated should still receive an RIS on a prospective basis, rather than have any prior course releases counted as the RIS. We should stress that we do not know if Admin agrees with this assessment. Members who have questions on their eligibility for an RIS should contact the FSU. Members who have questions on their eligibility for an RIS should contact the FSU.