RCOB names McFarland associate dean

Rowan University’s Rohrer College of Business (RCOB) has appointed Dr. Daniel McFarland, of Mullica Hill, as its first associate dean.

In that role, the long-time educator works with faculty and staff to redefine, assess and improve business education. He also facilitates and expands collaborations among faculty, staff, students, alumni and RCOB friends.

Dr. Robert Beatty, dean, said the College conducted a nationwide search for the position, and he was pleased that the best person for it already was a faculty member.

“Dan is perfect for this job,” Beatty said. “During his tenure as a faculty member, Dan established a solid reputation as a leader who is able to closely collaborate with people from across the university to enhance educational opportunities for Rohrer College of Business students.”

McFarland has more than a decade of industry experience and 15 years in higher education.  His industry experience includes serving in the roles of business analyst, systems engineer and overall team leader for a division of Ford Motor Company. He also served as a lead electrical/software design engineer for the Automated Material Handling Systems Division of FMC Corporation. 

McFarland served as an adjunct, visiting or assistant professor at St. Joseph’s University, Drexel University and LaSalle University in Philadelphia and at the American University of Paris in France. He joined the Rowan faculty full time in 2002 as an associate professor of management information systems (MIS). In 2005, he was named director of the RCOB M.B.A. program, and he was promoted to full professor in 2006.

“I am honored to be working with such incredibly talented and dedicated students, faculty and staff,” McFarland said. “In close collaboration with our industry and accreditation partners, we look forward to setting new standards of excellence in business education.”

In academia, McFarland has been honored with a variety of teaching, advising and service awards, including eight excellence in teaching/advising awards, two awards for exceptional leadership, an award for building relationships with industry and a commendation from the Camden County Board of Freeholders for services provided to the County. While serving as the RCOB M.B.A. director, he designed and launched the Rohrer Online M.B.A. Program, which was selected as a top Online M.B.A. Program by U.S. News & World Report for student engagement, student services and technology, faculty credentials and training, and accreditations.  The Philadelphia Business Journal ranked the RCOB M.B.A. Program first for growth in the region in 2010.

McFarland also has successfully led several accreditation and reaccreditation efforts. RCOB’s Management Information Systems Program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. The MIS Program is one of a handful of programs that simultaneously holds accreditations from the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET and AACSB. 

The associate dean also is a member of numerous professional and civic organizations. He serves or has served as board member and treasurer of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem Counties; editorial board member of MyNet Research; member of the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges; and member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. He also is a member of the New Jersey Technology Council, Institute for Small Business and United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, among other organizations.

McFarland earned his B.S. in commerce and engineering, M.B.A. in operations management, and Ph.D. in decision sciences: management information systems from Drexel University.  His research in the area of the organizational impacts of information systems has been published in leading academic journals and professional publications.

McFarland is married and the father of three.