The original learning assistance center at Cal State Fullerton, known as the Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC), was established in 1984 as part of Student Academic Services within the Division of Student Affairs. Its purpose was to support students’ learning by providing adjunct strategies classes and study groups for challenging courses. Student learning assistants attended specific sections of difficult classes and conducted two to three hours of study groups each week, focusing on the course material. The aim was to improve students’ pass rates in historically challenging courses. This early initiative at Cal State Fullerton can be considered the university’s first formal implementation of what is now commonly known as Supplemental Instruction or SI.
The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) at Cal State Fullerton expanded over time, incorporating additional components to support student learning. Staff began offering practice sessions to prepare students for the Examination in Writing Proficiency (EWP), which was required for graduation. They also assisted incoming students in preparing for the English Placement Test (EPT) and the Entry Level Mathematics Examination (ELM). Additionally, LARC provided individual tutoring for nonnative English speakers.
In 1986, a computer lab was introduced to the LARC, featuring a mix of old PCs and new Macintoshes donated by Apple Computer. Funding from a grant provided a network server, and a computer science student was hired to maintain the lab until 1989.
Due to financial constraints during the early 1990s, the LARC’s operations were discontinued in 1992. However, a smaller version known as the Learning Axis Center, funded by the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), continued to operate. In 1998, a successful grant proposal written by the Director of Student Academic Services, an EOP lead counselor, and the Vice President for Student Affairs led to the restoration of the center, now called the University Learning Center (ULC).
The ULC opened in 1999 on the first floor of University Hall as an independent department within the Division of Student Affairs. It was headed by a Director who was an accomplished English professor, supported by an Assistant Director and an Administrative Support Assistant. The ULC offered one-to-one tutoring in various subjects, study groups for challenging courses, and a small computer lab for student use.
By 2001, the ULC had outgrown its space in University Hall and relocated to a larger area on the lower level of McCarthy Hall. It continued to expand its services, providing academic assistance in over 30 classes, Supplemental Instruction for general education courses, writing workshops for both native and non-native English speakers, and study skills building workshops.
In 2007, the ULC again needed more space and secured a new location on the second floor, north side of the Pollak library. It later moved to the first floor north of the Pollak library in Fall 2018, occupying a dedicated space between the Writing Center and Supplemental Instruction.
