College for Lifelong Learning officially becomes Granite State College 
Governor Lynch signs legislation authorizing name change

The College for Lifelong Learning (CLL) officially became Granite State College May 9, as Gov. John Lynch signed House Bill 99, authorizing the name change into law.

The name change to Granite State College reflects the college’s significant role in USNH as an innovative and accessible statewide college for adults of all ages. The Granite State College name also represents vital attributes that characterize the institution – credibility, strength, and a statewide scope.

“Granite State College really does reflect the mission of the college to educate nontraditional students of all ages,” Lynch said. “I’ve met so many people across the state whose lives have been positively changed because of Granite State College and it pleases me to sign this bill into law.”

In June 2004 the USNH Board affirmed its commitment to an independent and revitalized CLL. House Bill 99 was sponsored by Rep. Francis Sullivan, Rep. Maurice Pilotte, Rep. Paul Smith, Rep. Stephen L’Heureux, and Sen. Richard Green. The bill was effective upon signing, enabling the college to provide its 2005 graduating class with diplomas under the Granite State College name.

“A lot of wonderful things are happening for the college,” said Karol LaCroix, president of Granite State College. “In addition to our name change, we are opening new centralized administrative offices, launching a new call center to provide information about off-campus and online courses and programs across the university system, and introducing the BOLD (Bachelor’s Online Degree) program in Management and Information Technology.”

“This is much more than a name change – it’s the first major step in the ‘recommissioning’ of the College for Lifelong Learning and the launching of Project Access,” USNH Chancellor Stephen Reno said. “Under this plan, Granite State College, as the new CLL, will be a statewide resource that provides New Hampshire citizens with high quality, affordable, timely, and convenient higher education programs based on need and demand. It is on its way to being the catalyst within the university system that matches educational needs across the state with programs that can be taught by its network of skilled educators in the classroom, online, or in other settings that are most accessible for today’s adult learners.”

USNH established the college in 1972 as an innovative, nontraditional institution for adults of all ages, recognizing that the educational goals of most adult students relate to job advancement or career changes.

Today, Granite State College has nine centers throughout New Hampshire and offers courses at more than 50 locations. The college offers 20 bachelors and associate degree options, including their hallmark self-design bachelor's degree that can be custom-tailored to fit a student’s unique goals and experience. Other majors include applied technology, behavioral science, and management. The college is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and serves more than 4,000 adults.

Granite State College educators include faculty from the UNH, Keene State College, and Plymouth State University, as well as private colleges and universities from across the state. The college also draws faculty from the community, hiring professionals with advanced degrees who enjoy teaching part-time.

“On June 5th, the Class of 2005 will be the first to receive their degrees from Granite State College. We are very excited about this momentous occasion,” LaCroix added.

In addition to the name change, passage of House Bill 99 also gives Granite State College equal protection and the same student board representation as the other three USNH institutions.