Since the founding of Framingham Normal School in 1839 as the first state-supported school in the United States for training teachers, Massachusetts state colleges have evolved in response to the changing needs of the regions they serve. The Massachusetts state Legislature and Gov. Deval Patrick are now considering whether to move from the existing state "college" system to a state "university" system. The state colleges (Bridgewater State, Fitchburg State, Framingham State, Mass College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State, Westfield State and Worcester State) have undergone several name changes in their histories--from "normal schools" to "teacher's colleges" to "state colleges"--to reflect their changing educational roles. Each transition has allowed the colleges to better serve the changing needs of their students, communities and economies. This latest proposed change would similarly enable the colleges to better fulfill their historic mission. The proposal is designed to expand the "system's" range of degree and program offerings based on changing needs.