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The Oracle MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 I VOL. 52 NO. 8

Inside this Issue

N E W S

Students share study abroad stories. Page 4

Montage

SP O RTS Bulls blow fourth quarter lead to Terps. BACK

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Staff union bargains for fair treatment

By Wesley Higgins

LI F E STYLE

www.usforacle.com

The Index

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E D I T O R

Tensions arose over disparity in treatment between university staff and faculty at the collective bargaining meeting Thursday, as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union presented its proposals to university officials for the 2014-15 contract.

Hector Ramos, AFSCME chief negotiator, said the proposals were about common respect for the 1,700 custodians, maintenance and nonadministrative staff that the union represents.

The first proposal allows USF’s AFSCME President Susie Shannon eight hours of her 40-hour workweek to focus on union business.

John Dickinson, chief negotiator for the university administration, said he was skeptical

about whether the university should pay for Shannon to handle union business while on the university’s clock.

“Basically the person would be working for 32 hours and getting paid for 40,” Dickinson said.

Ramos said if USF allows the USF president of United Faculty of Florida (UFF) 10 hours a week, it is only fair to give the AFSCME president eight.

“You got to remember that when a union official is working on an issue for a worker, they are also working on an issue for the university to resolve a conflict,” Ramos said.

Another proposal would allow AFSCME representatives to sign grievance forms on behalf of staff who complain.

The employee must provide a signature before the grievance continue, further into the legal

process.

Ramos said the staff union takes time to investigate and evaluate grievances, and once that investigation is finished, it is sometimes difficult to coordinate with the complainant.

“The person may work nights, they may work weekends,” he said. “For x amount of reasons we may not get the signature. We’re asking for the same courtesy you give UFF. Let us file the complaint, and we’ll get you that signature by step two.”

Dickinson said he was concerned this would allow AFSCME to file grievances without proof of employee consent.

“You’re going to have to take our word for it,” Ramos said. “If there’s no degree of trust, then why are we sitting across the table? You trust faculty with this clause, but you don’t trust us?”

AFSCME further proposed that, in the event of grievances receiving arbitration, each party would split the arbitration cost. Currently, the cost of arbitration falls to the party that lost in court, unlike the UFF contract.

Dickinson said different unions contracts should be taken as individual collections of compromises.

“Those contracts were negotiated with a whole bunch of other things over years,” he said. “You’re taking the good and not the bad. As my mother used to say, ‘you’re cherry picking.’”

Ramos said the staff union shouldn’t turn away justifiable complaints because they cost money.

“When (USF) decides to take disciplinary action against an employee, you already have all your ducks lined up,” he

n See UNION on PAGE 2

USF scientists put spotlight on solar energy

By Wesley Higgins N E W S

E D I T O R

After standing outside in 87-degree weather, over 30 Tampa residents and community leaders cooled off inside the house built on the lawn of Research Park. Walking on cypress floors, the visitors marveled at the kitchen appliances, bedroom lighting and modern plumbing that all functioned without impacting the environment.

USF researchers conducted the Solar Experience tour Wednesday night, co-sponsored by the Bridge and the Sierra Club, to demonstrate how the university is harnessing nature to create a sustainable future.

Rebecca Blanco, an organizer from the Bridge, said the tour was meant to keep the community actively aware and informed.

“Our mission is to promote everything having to do with sus-

n See SOLAR on PAGE 2

The FLeX house on the lawn of USF Research Park is built with a passive design that relies on the sun to power its electronics and the weather to cool its interior. ORACLE PHOTO / ADAM MATHIEU

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tainability on a local level,” she said. “To build a community of like-minded people.”

The first stop of the tour was the FLeX House, a showpiece model built in 2011 in collaboration with University of Florida and Florida State for a national competition to build a home powered solely by solar energy.

Jamie Trahan, USF Clean Energy research assistant and a doctoral candidate for mechanical engineering, led the tour of the FLeX House.

“The reason we are all interested in energy efficiency is because we want to mitigate our environmental impact,” she said. “Efficiency also gives greater return on investment by reducing the energy we need.”

Trahan said the house is built to take advantage of nature, instead of relying on mechanical design.

“You don’t need any electricity, you just use the architecture to cool and heat your home.”

The house is also built with the Florida climate in mind, Tahran said. While most Florida houses are made with concrete that collects heat, the outside of the FLeX

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House is framed with cypress that redirects light from the home and lets softer light brighten the home.

“It’s cooling the house in the same way a tree cools us off in the shade,” she said. “Cypress is also a very good insect repellant.”

Trahan said the FleX house is net-zero energy, and therefore produces as much energy as it consumes. It is still on the electrical grid, like any other house, but it can return energy back into the system. A great deal of energy comes from the solar panels fitted on its roof, Trahan said.

She also said solar technology is becoming cheaper and more efficient, and one day, it is conceivable that the technology will allow people to go off the grid.

The second stop of the tour was USF’s solar thermal power plant, which powers some of the Research Park office. The stop was meant to demonstrate the research possibly leading to that future.

Constructed in 2011, the plant uses mirrors concentrating sunlight into a focal point that creates high temperatures. Though some permits for mirror technology have been put on hold because birds could potentially be set aflame in the air.

In a traditional power plant, coal

or gas burns to create steam that is pushed through a turbine coupled to a generator that powers the energy grid.

The plant at USF is a demonstration however, and isn’t large enough to power a grid or hot enough to produce steam. Instead of water, a refrigerant that boils at a low temperature is used for research.

“That produces heat, so why aren’t we using that heat to produce steam?” she said.

After the tour, visitors hung around to talk about politics and the latest breakthrough in sustainable technology.

Tampa Councilwoman Lisa Montelione said she came to the event because she’s interested in the potential impact solar energy could have on Tampa’s communities.

Montelione said the future of a sustainable Tampa will depend on the direction of the elections, and blamed political gridlock in Tallahassee for hindering Florida’s progress.

“It’s the closest thing we have in the area to the technology that is going to bring us into the future,” she said. “This is what we need to be building and this is the direction we need to be going.”

UNION

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said. “We start from behind the eight ball, trying to put our stuff together. Not only don’t we have the time, but we don’t have the deep pockets you have.”

Dickinson defended the article as it stood and said it incentivizes the union to file only justifiable grievances with a probable chance of winning.

“You want to make sure that the parties evaluate the merits of the dispute before they take it all the way,” he said. “Because they know if they don’t evaluate something properly, they could end up paying ... It makes you that much more careful before pressing and going through that expensive process if there is a risk of cost.”

Ramos disagreed. He said it was offensive to infer the union would become careless in the grievances they filed just because they wouldn’t have to pay the full cost of arbitration.

Ramos also proposed that staff have the same policy for worker’s compensation as faculty, incase an employee sustains a job-related injury.

“I don’t want to gauge which of your workers have more dangerous jobs,” Ramos said. “But at least all your employees should be treated the same.”

The last proposal debated at Thursday’s meeting was a clarification AFSCME representatives asked be put in the contract, making it punishable for a supervisor to publicly embarrass an employee and force

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reprimanding to be conducted in private.

“The supervisors need to get that they have to treat their employees with respect,” Ramos said. “If they need to discipline them, pull them aside and discipline them, don’t do it in public.”

Ramos said staff members have issued several complaints against supervisors from the Marshall Student Center, Physical Plant and College of Education.

But when Dickinson asked for concrete examples and names, Ramos said the burden of investigation should fall on USF administration.

“That’s what bargaining is all about, it’s about sharing information to give rationale for a proposal,” Dickinson said. “It’s your choice.”

Ramos said the union was hesitant to name supervisors, in case of retaliation against their employees.

“It should be sufficient enough to you that this is enough of an issue that I put it on the table,” he said.

Dickinson said the university assures protection for its employees and will not tolerate retaliation.

Other proposals included a 5 percent raise and a limit on parking fees, which are higher for staff than for students.

The only proposal agreed upon is that the university would explore tuition assistance for the spouses and children of bargaining members.

The bargaining will resume Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. in the Student Services building.

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Lifestyle UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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GloBull Ambassadors share study abroad stories

By Alexandra Hollander C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Last year nearly 1,000 USF students studied across the globe from France to Costa Rica. Now, classmates have an opportunity to hear about these adventures.

Education Abroad Story Hour will allow returning students to share their experiences abroad with students who are looking into studying abroad.

The event will also allow potential study abroad candidates to learn and explore the different programs available.

“It is an opportunity for returning students who have studied abroad recently to unpack their experience and talk about it more in-depth about what they did, what they saw and where they went,” said Chris Haynes, Student

Programs Coordinator for USF Education Abroad.

Haynes works directly with the featured speakers of the Story Hour events, the GloBull Ambassadors. GloBull Ambassadors are current students who have studied abroad before and had the opportunity to participate in special programs. Each student will share his or her experiences participating in study abroad.

“Their experiences are all going to be very unique,” Haynes said. “Some students go over there to have a great time, some really go over there for academics, some students have never studied abroad, so they all bring a different point of view which will be interesting to see.”

Ayla Horan is a GloBull Ambassador Council Member and has participated in two Education Abroad programs in

the past. She said not only does studying abroad provide tremendous personal benefits, but its also a great way to earn credit hours and learn more about another culture.

“The first time I studied abroad was in Costa Rica, and the second time was in Argentina. I benefitted from both trips,” Horan said. “Study abroad gives you a whole new set of independence, because you’re on your own.”

Independence is something that many students experience when studying abroad because they are truly on their own.

Often, this gives them the opportunity to discover more about themselves and the country they visit.

In addition to this new independence, Horan said studying abroad allows students to become more global and “worldly,” an opportunity only

present in something like an education abroad program.

“You learn so much more about yourself and other people,” Horan said. “I was able to interact with different cultures and adapt to a completely different lifestyle.”

Students who have not yet studied abroad and might be on the fence about it will get the advantage of hearing personal experiences at the event. Also, students will be able to ask the GloBull Ambassadors questions about Education Abroad and hear specific answers and personal stories from their adventures abroad.

“We definitely want to get students there to learn more about what we have to offer and what our students are getting out of study abroad,” Haynes said.

Stories shared during the event will allow prospective

students who are interested in studying abroad to receive insight and experiences from someone they can closely relate to.

Haynes said students can connect with and understand their peers, which will give them a great idea of what studying abroad is like for a USF student.

“It’s really a good event to promote study abroad through peer advising as opposed to the traditional study abroad fairs with faculty advisers or a study abroad session,” Haynes said.

The event will take place this Wednesday and Oct. 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Education Abroad Gateway Office located in the Marshall Student Center.

Students who are interested can visit the Education Abroad website at educationabroad.global.usf. edu.

The Education Abroad office will host Education Abroad Story Hour Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Education Abroad Gateway Office in the Marshall Student Center. ORACLE PHOTO/COURTNEY COMBS

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BLUNDER

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running around slapping guys on the head, telling them a joke to keep them loose. And Andre was doing that the entire game as well. Those are the little things that people don’t see on the outside that we didn’t have last year. They’re really out there playing for each other now.”

USF ended the half with a 35-yard field goal from senior kicker Marvin Kloss to take the lead 17-14.

For the rest of the game, neither team could get its offense into a groove.

The game-winning touchdown occurred with just under 13 minutes left in the game.

The Bulls opened the fourth quarter with a drive that had gone nowhere, so they elected to punt from their own 37 yard line.

As junior punter Mattias Ciabatti punted the ball, the lineman in front of him was pushed back into the ball, causing it to ricochet into the end zone where a Maryland player fell on it.

Disaster had struck the Bulls

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in an unlikely way, but unlike last season, they weren’t giving up.

“They blocked that punt and we didn’t blink on the sideline,” Bench said. “The difference this year is when adversity strikes, we don’t blink and we’ll punch you right back in the mouth.”

But the Bulls were unable to score for the rest of the game, failing to take advantage of the sixth turnover the USF defense forced when sophomore linebacker Nigel Harris forced a fumble with under three minutes remaining.

Even though the offense was only able to manufacture one touchdown in the entire game, Taggart wouldn’t put any of the blame on Bench.

“I thought Steven did some good things for us. I think he made some plays,” Taggart said. “I didn’t think Steven had a lot of help. There were at least eight balls dropped.

It’s hard to get any rhythm or momentum especially when those drops are on third down.

He just didn’t have any help from that standpoint. For a kid that didn’t take a lot of reps in practice, he did good things

for us.”

In the locker room, senior nose tackle Todd Chandler made a closed-doors speech to the team. Taggart said Chandler told the team how they’re different than last year, can face adversity and will come out the other side with a win.

Taggart added that the atmosphere after the game was different than it was last year after a loss.

“That locker room was totally different than any other loss we’ve had around here,” Taggart said. “Last year it was OK to lose, you would see guys smiling and going to hang out.

You don’t see that anymore, you see guys ticked off that we lost.”

USF is making steps in the right direction toward rebuilding the program, but Taggart acknowledged that real progress can’t be made without big-time wins.

“I think it takes one significant win to really get you going,” Taggart said. “It takes a big victory to get the guys to believe in themselves, but it’s going to happen.”

Volleyball

Bulls win two at USF Invitational

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

E D I T O R

The USF volleyball team saw its first action at home this season, hosting three teams at the Corral for the USF Invitational this weekend.

The Bulls were able to win two of three matches.

USF won its first match of the season against Buffalo on Friday afternoon in front of 615 people.

The five-set match concluded with a final set score of 16-14 with junior outside hitter Erin Fairs recording the go-ahead kill.

Fairs posted a double-double for USF with 20 kills and 25 digs.

“That’s a big double-double,” coach Courtney Draper said in a press release. “Usually doubledoubles are in the teens, but she was in the 20’s in both categories. She’s putting up some great numbers for us and she’s just playing a solid, all-around game.”

The Bulls matched up against FIU in their second match of the weekend Friday evening.

Despite another 20 kills from Fairs, USF lost to the Panthers in four sets.

FIU posted 15 blocks and had four players reach double-digit digs.

USF nearly pushed the match to five sets, tying FIU five separate times in the final set, but fell 24-20.

The Bulls were able to get back to their winning ways in the final match of the weekend as they swept South Carolina State in three sets.

All 16 players for the Bulls played in the weekend blowout.

USF will look to continue its winning start this weekend when they begin the Active Ankle Challenge. The Bulls face off against Winthrop on Friday at 5 p.m. in Auburn.

Opinion

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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Online degrees have more merit than recognized

In recent years, online degrees have been critically questioned, and rightly so, given the numerous reports of degree mills. Infamously, according to Wired Magazine, Saint Regis University was shut down after it was discovered the couple in charge of the operation were awarding degrees for a small fee so long as applicants could answer questions such as “where does the president of the United States reside?”

Seen as an easy alternative to face-to-face classes, online programs have garnered a stereotype of being a free time activity like the Sunday morning crossword.

In reality, online degrees require an equal amount of work and more effort on the student’s behalf to commu-

nicate with faculty and staff, a fact that employers cannot ignore.

Online degree programs are becoming more widely accepted. Employers are more concerned with an applicant’s GPA and field of study than they are with how the student earned the degree, according to New York Daily News.

In a survey done by online institution Excelsior College and Zogby International, 83 percent of CEO’s felt online degree programs are just as credible as those earned on campus.

In the 2011-12 academic year, the University of Phoenix awarded 18,602 master’s degrees, a growth rate of 183 percent compared to the previous year.

Every year since 1978, tuition has increased at a rate of 7.45 percent, according to the Wall Street Journal. The National Center for Education Statistics reports tuition, room and board was $2,777 while the website College Data reports average student tuition for the 2013-14 academic year was $22,826.

The Wall Street Journal associates rising cost of attendance with an increase in paid administration, stating that

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Brandon Shaik COLU M N I ST

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the University of Michigan, among other institutions, has 53 percent more administrators than faculty. As a result, institutions are hiring adjunct faculty to cut costs.

Posing a solution, the Wall Street Journal suggests universities hire more adjunct administrators instead and recruit top instructors to provide online lectures to students at multiple institutions, combating student debt in the process.

New York Daily News reports more than 6.7 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in 2011. USF offered over 1,600 sections of online courses last year. In addition to the $211.19 per credit hour tuition fee, USF charges an additional $50 distance learning fee per credit which is used to further distance learning and transition face-to-face courses to online courses, according to USF Innovative Education.

It’s hard to ignore that an online education is becoming a current means for earning a degree and the advantages extend beyond flexibility and accommodation to learning style.

Brandon Shaik is a senior majoring in psychology.

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Transgender equality is lacking in schools Brandon Shaik COLU M N I ST

Last week Mount Holyoke College, a liberal arts women’s college in South Hadley, Massachusetts, announced it will begin admitting any student who identifies as a woman, a slight but impactful change in admissions.

Mount Holyoke joins the ranks of institutions such as Yale and New York University by pioneering trans-positive initiatives in an attempt to promote human rights. More recently, lesbian and gay issues have been the focus of attention while transgender advocacy has often been treated as a separate movement, going unnoticed despite the efforts that have been made.

Title IX, passed in 1972, a law “that requires gender equity for boys and girls in every educational program that receives federal funding was extended in 2010 to include protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students from sexual discrimination. The original 1972 law exempts religious institutions, however, allowing them to discriminate against LGBT students.

In April of this year, George Fox University prohibited a transgender student from living in single-sex housing on the basis of religious exemption. Spring Arbor University in Michigan and Simpson University in California have also used Title IX exemptions to legally punish transgender students, going as far as expulsion according to Inside Higher Ed. Rates of transgender discrimination are alarming as, according to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, 14 percent of Floridians who iden-

tify as a non-conforming gender reported harassment so severe they decided to leave school, while 47 percent reported being harassed in a public place of accommodation or service.

Though institutions are discriminating against transgender students, many are going out of their way to ensure that students feel they are part of a community of individuals and are making the effort to bring transgender issues to light.

Earlier this year, the University of Pennsylvania permitted students to use their ‘preferred name’ instead of their legal name if they feel it does not represent their gender identity. The Preferred Name Initiative is UPenn’s attempt at providing a safe and inclusive environment for transgender students.

In 2011, USF announced it would accommodate transgender students, becoming one of three Florida institutions to offer housing for transgender students by allowing them to select their housing based on which gender they identify with.

LGBT individuals are grouped together because of the adversity they face every day. While progress has been made in the lesbian and gay community throughout the years, transgender issues are still alarmingly prevalent. Transgender advocacy needs to extend past the social justice blogs and permeate through mass media if any sort of headway is to be made in the coming years. It’s time to stop acting as though the “T” in LGBT is silent.

Brandon Shaik is a senior majoring in psychology.

Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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WEBMASTER WANTED FULL TIME FOR A COSMETIC SURGERY CENTER AND MEDISPA IN TAMPA TO MAINTAIN AND PROVIDE SUPPORT ON INTERNET SITE. IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL BE ABLE TO EMAIL, PROMOTE CLIENT WEBSITE ONLINE, AND BE COMPUTER SAAVY. FORWARD RESUME TO USFRESUMES@YAHOO.COM Repair Technician Seeking repair technician for high precision gear boxes. Clean air conditioned work environment. Must be mechanically inclined; experience a must. Pay negotiable based upon talent and experience; $15-25/hr. M-F, 9-5:30; single member insurance, 401K, and paid vacation Drug Free Environment.

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Sports

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Football

Bench couldn’t save Bulls from Week 2 blunder

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

E D I T O R

USF began its game against Maryland on Saturday with a 12-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Mike White to junior tight end Sean Price.

The catch was a promising start for the Bulls, who struggled mightily on offense last season, but it was not a sign of things to come as the game ended with a 24-17 loss.

After the play was complete, White could be seen waving his arm to the sideline in desperation. Soon after, backup quarterback Steven Bench jogged onto the field to relieve the injured White.

After completing the pass, White was hit and fell to the ground. On the way down, he extended his left arm to cushion his blow, but landed awkwardly. White had injured his left forearm badly and wouldn’t be able to return to the game.

“I was giving signals to Mike and he kept calling me over,” Bench said. “I thought he was telling me to give the signal again so I kept giving him the signal, but he was saying ‘I can’t go,’ so I strapped my

helmet up and went out there.”

Coach Willie Taggart didn’t have an official ruling on White, but he said there is no chance he will play next week against North Carolina State.

“Right now, I don’t know how long he’s out,” Taggart said. “We need to get the X-rays back, but he possibly has a broken forearm.”

Bench had trouble getting comfortable in the first quarter, throwing for 21 yards on 2-for8 passing.

With the USF (1-1) offense stagnant, Maryland wasted no time scoring two touchdowns.

Both Terrapin touchdowns went to wide receiver Marcus Leak in a span of four minutes and 24 seconds.

Aside from a 21-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown from linebacker Auggie Sanchez, the Bulls were unable to put any points on the board in the first quarter.

After forcing three turnovers in the first quarter, the USF defense continued to make plays for the rest of the game.

They added another turnover in the second quarter and kept Maryland (2-0) off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Steven Bench (center) threw for 162 yards and ran for a touchdown in Mike White’s absence Saturday. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU While the defense was shutting down the Terrapins, Bench began to find his stride. He finished the second quarter 7-for13 for 89 yards.

Bench capped off his first drive of the second quarter by

sneaking in a touchdown over the pylon on a 15-yard scramble on third down.

Even though starters White and senior wide receiver Andre Davis were ruled out for the game, they could be seen on

the sideline trying to ignite their teammates and the crowd.

“It was good to see Mike come back and keep everyone loose when they got tight,” Taggart said. “I saw him

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Men’s Soccer

USF shuts out Portland

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

E D I T O R

The USF men’s soccer team was able to secure its second consecutive victory of the season, defeating Portland 2-0 on Sunday.

USF had nine shots on goal in the first half, but couldn’t take advantage of opportunities until later in the game.

The Bulls kept attacking Portland and were able to score in the 62nd minute, courtesy of senior forward Kennedy Selorm Adablah’s first goal of the season.

Adablah’s goal would be all USF

would need to capture the victory as its defense shut out Portland.

“I thought tactically we were very good and I was pleased with the leadership and how good we were defensively,” coach George Kiefer said in a press release.

The defense limited Portland to only seven shots on goal for the game compared to the Bulls’ 19.

Junior goalkeeper Spasoje Stefanovic only had to make one save Sunday in his first career shutout.

Senior midfielder Lucas Baldin added the second goal of the day for the Bulls in the final minute of

play. Baldin has now scored three goals in his last two games.

The Bulls’ second win of the season is a sign the team is settling in after losing the season opener.

“I think the key is how they’re working for each other and helping each other,” Kiefer said. “You see a forward recover for a right midfielder defensively and they’re starting to get what it takes, which is good.”

USF has now won two games in a row and will look to extend its streak against Old Dominion on Friday.

Senior midfielder Lucas Baldin scored his third goal in the past two games on Sunday. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU