William Channing Russel

Russel worked closely with White on structuring Cornell in the university's early years.

Shortly after the end of the Civil War, he took a job as chair of history at the Antioch College.

Cornell historian Morris Bishop wrote that Russel's job title marked the "first use of the term 'associate professor' in American higher education.

[2] In early 1881, Russel was forced to resign by the Cornell University Board of Trustees with little explanation.

[2] Shortly afterwards, Russel was hired as the chair of Brown University's history department, a role he held for two years.