History
The California State University Fullerton, Ruby Gerontology Center was established in 1989 through the generous support of donations on members of the life long learning program The Continuing Learning Experience (CLE)/ OLLI, formally, and their fund raising campaign to the community.

When CLE was established in 1979 classes were held in various locations on and near the campus. This small band of dedicated leaners determined that the need for a permanent location to hold their classes on the university campus and with the support of the University, went about the fund raising effort with partners who believed in the value of life long learning.

Working closely with University architects, planners, and key personnel, the building was designed as a single story structure of 15,500 square feet. Important components of the building included a state of the art auditorium, a large multi-purpose room, classrooms, research space, and offices, plus parking space.

The dedication and opening of the facility was held in 1989. This unique public-private partnership development became a permanent part of the University with the understanding that it would be a mixed-use facility. The classrooms and office space would be avairable for University academic based research, teaching, and gerontology program development, with a commitment to the life long learners to hold their classes within the facility in a cooperative venture.

RGC Partners
Since 1989 various research activities have taken place in the Center including Social Science Research, Kinesiology-health, wellness, mobility enhancement including fall risk reduction,Nursing, and Education. Gerontology academic programs have evolved from certificate programs to minors, and emphasis within several majors, to a Masters Degree program developed in 2000. The Countinuing Learning Experience (CLE)/ OLLI, fromally, grew to over 700 members and in 2006 joined a larger national network becoming one of the Osher Life Long Learning Insistutes (OLLI) along with Universities such as Brandeis, Duke, Barkley, University of Hawaii, UCLA, UC Irvine. The CSUF Institute of Gerontology was established in 1999 and was a catalyst for change, new funding opportunities, communication on legislative issues on aging, and community interaction.

Fun Facts
In 1989, the state of the art auditorium, named for Dr. B. Mackey had at each seat a telephone linked to a 286 computer. This permitted survey reserch, audio for hard of hearing, and had the capacity for language translation. The multi-purpose room, in the opposite wing, named for Mr. Leo Shapiro, was linked by cable access to the auditorium so that there could be remote televised audio-visual to an over-flow audience.

By 2005, technology had significantly advanced and through major support on the CSU Fullerton campus, and Congressman Ed Royce, a federally directed grant from the Department of Education, a major technology infrastructure upgrade took place. This upgrade included removal of the old telephone system replaced by a new state of the art personal response system, ADA approved sound system for the hard of hearing, adaptable podium with automatic lightning adjustments, and Foundry System technology tchat permits digital recording of events plus linkage to broadcast and receive externally . This technology facilitates continuing education for professionals at remote locations, permits homebound senior learners access to campus lectures, and creates and opportunity for special external event broadcasts to students on campus.

In 2006 the Ruby Gerontology Center, was designated an emergency command operation center facility for the CSU Fullerton campus. As a single story structure positioned on the north east corner of the campus the ideal location was enhanced by the new technology upgrade making the Shapiro Wing Multi-Purpose Room even more valuable.

Plans for the future include linkage to the auditorium foundry system from other key locations of the Ruby Gerontology Center these are however, dependent on funding opportunities.