Gladys Mae Jackson was born in Frontier County, Nebraska, on April 29, 1927.

In 1949, she earned a BA with a double major in English and speech from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

In 1954, she and her husband, Snell Putney, were jointly awarded the University of Oregon's first PhD in sociology.

[1][3] Her marriage to Putney initially made her ineligible to earn a tenure-track position at the university due to anti-nepotism rules established by then-President John T. Wahlquist, which was rescinded after Walhquist's departure in 1964.

[5][6] As president, Fullerton focused on raising graduation rates among student-athletes, and oversaw the construction of the Event Center and the Engineering Building.