In September 2008, MCC began the process of becoming a state college under the direction of then-president Lars A. Hafner, and on March 17, 2009, the State Board of Education unanimously approved the colleges proposal to offer its first baccalaureate degree. In July of that same year, MCC officially changed its name to State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota (SCF) to reflect its new status as a four-year state institution. The first bachelor's degree to be offered at the college was a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) which started in January 2010. State College of Florida continues to add baccalaureate degree programs to its offerings based on a combination of regional, state, and national need. Several other bachelor degree programs are now offered at SCF.