Connecticut are Quinnipiac University, Fairfield University, Central Connecticut State University, Sacred Heart University, and the University of Hartford. The name "Connecticut" originated with the Mohegan word "quonehtacut", meaning "place of long tidal river". Connecticut's official nickname is "The Constitution State", adopted in 1959 and based on its colonial constitution of 1638–1639 which was the first in America and, arguably, the world. Connecticut is also unofficially known as "The Nutmeg State," whose origin is unknown. It may have come from its sailors returning from voyages with nutmeg, which was a very valuable spice in the 18th and 19th centuries. It may have
Connecticut State University System overseen by the Connecticut State Department of Education. In 1965 the General Assembly transferred control of the then-colleges to an independent Board of Trustees. In 1983 the four institutions were converted into universities, together constituting the Connecticut State University System. The universities are governed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education, established in 2011 to license and accredit the institutions and their programs, approve budgets, support planning, and coordinate technology operations. The president of the Board is Mark E. Ojakian. The Connecticut State University System Foundation, provides financial support from private donations to assist the missions of the