BOISE, ID – Lewis-Clark State College is a step closer to becoming Lewis-Clark State University.

The Senate Education Committee unanimously voted Wednesday to approve a bill making the name change.

President Cynthia Pemberton told the committee that potential students often overlook LC State because they assume it’s a two-year school. But the Lewiston-based institution offers both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees along with a handful of graduate programs, including nursing.

“It’s a name that gets in the way of understanding who we are,” Pemberton said.

The committee quickly approved Senate Bill 1234, which now goes to the full Senate.

Sen. Kevin Cook likened the proposal to his alma mater, Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Cook, R-Idaho Falls, said the school’s name changed from Weber State College the same year that he and his wife graduated.

“We just thought that our investment was tripled, because we were graduating from a university,” he said.