As the U.S. moved closer to its entrance into World War II, 240 students were enrolled at St. Francis. While the student body remained mostly Irish, the changing demographics of working class Brooklyn were reflected by the growing number of Italian-American students. By the spring semester of 1944, when the war was at its peak, the number of students enrolled dropped to 45. Most of those still enrolled were members of the Franciscan order and those exempt from military service (12 SFC students gave their lives to the war effort). After the War and with the passage of the G.I. Bill, which paid tuition for returning soldiers, enrollment at St. Francis increased to 878 students. In 1957, the Regents of the University of the State of New York granted an absolute Charter to the Trustees of the College making it a separate legal entity from the St. Francis Monastery. The new corporate status enabled St. Francis students to qualify for federal financial aid. Shortly after, in 1959, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredited St. Francis College. After these developments the College embarked on an expansion program, in 1960 it was announced that five office buildings in the Brooklyn Civic Center were purchased for $5 million from the Brooklyn Union Gas Company. In 1961, the college purchased the Herman Behr Mansion in Brooklyn Heights to serve as a residence for the Franciscan Brothers and signaled the move from Cobble Hill to Brooklyn Heights.