JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) _ An Indiana University Southeast astronomy professor is retiring at the end of the month after 50 years on campus.

Professor Gerald Ruth tells the Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky, (http://cjky.it/1XRoGWt) that when he started in the 1960s the campus in downtown Jeffersonville had just received a Xerox machine and the entire faculty could fit in a single living room for the annual holiday party.

The 79-year-old Ruth taught more than a full course load for more than 25 years, which has included a range of classes from environmental conservation to stellar astronomy.

In 2010, IU Southeast awarded Ruth a Distinguished Research and Creativity Award for his contributions on campus and to the field. The IU Southeast faculty has voted to name Ruth a “professor emeritus” after his retirement.