James Amsler was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1921. He attended Boston public schools and was graduated from Boston Technical High School. Upon completing his B.S. degree at Fitchburg State College, he served for four years as a Naval Intelligence officer during World War II. After World War II he attended Harvard University, where he earned his Masters degree in 1950. He continued on to Boston University and was awarded the Ed.D degree in 1955.

Amsler taught in several public school systems before his appointment as instructor of manual training at the Horace Mann School in 1949. In 1955, he joined the faculty at Salem Teachers College as an education instructor. He held several administrative positions during his first tenure at Salem, including Director of Admissions, Dean of Students, and Director of Student Teaching.

In 1967, Amsler left Salem to become the Associate Director of the Division of State Colleges in Boston. In 1969, he was appointed President of North Adams State, where he remained for almost a decade.

Amsler returned to Salem State on January 14, 1979 as the college's tenth President. Amsler continued with some of President Penson's priorities. Most notably, he continued to strengthen the Community Services area by emphasizing public relations, alumni affairs, and development. The Alumni Association formed a fifty member Board of Directors and a Varsity Club and Varsity Club Hall of Fame were established for alumni athletes. The Salem State College Series began in 1982, with former President Gerald Ford delivering the first address. President Amsler and the Salem State College Foundation reinvigorated fundraising efforts and began the College's first capital campaign, "The Push for Progress". The campaign raised over $400,000 to establish the Resource Center for Business at Salem State.

The academic area also grew under President Amsler's watch. New masters programs in Business, Nursing, and Social Work (the only M.S.W. in a Massachusetts public college) were introduced. The Continuing Education department grew as non-credit offerings and continuing education courses were made available to the general public. Amsler also oversaw the establishment of the Center for Creative and Performing Arts, the Sextant, and the Center for Adult and Lifelong Learning.

Amsler retired in 1987, after taking a brief sabbatical. William Mahaney was appointed Acting President.