James Wendell Spencer (BCE 1949, MCE 1951) served many roles at Cornell prior to his retirement in 1987. Spencer began as an Assistant Professor shortly after receiving his MCE in 1951, eventually becoming Professor in Highway Engineering, a position he held from 1961 until 1987. In 1967 he took a sabbatical in order to receive his PhD from Stanford University. From August 1970 until July 1973 he served as Vice Director of the Cooperative Extension. Spencer was made Dean of the NYS College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1973, a position he held until becoming Special Assistant to the President in 1978. He became Vice Provost in 1979, a position he would hold until his retirement in 1987.

After Spencer's retirement as Professor and Vice Provost, he served for a year as a part-time consultant to the President. From 1988 until 1989 he was the Director of Occupational Health and Safety. In 1990 he became a program officer at the Atlantic Philanthropic Services (later known as the Atlantic Philanthropies), and retired in 2001. His papers from his years at Atlantic can be found in the Atlantic Philanthropies Archives, #8540.