A series of distinguished individuals have provided their vision and leadership for
our college since its founding in 1866. Meet our University of South Carolina College
of Pharmacy deans.
Professor Joseph LeConte
1866 - 1870
Chairman, School of Chemistry, Pharmacy, Mineralogy and Geology
A native of Georgia, LeConte joined the University of South Carolina faculty in 1856.
Along with his brother John, he was responsible for initiating pharmaceutical and
medical education at South Carolina in 1866.
William B. Burney, Ph.D.
1888 - 1891
Dean, College of Pharmacy
During Burney's tenure as dean, South Carolina established a College of Pharmacy offering
a two year Graduate of Pharmacy (Ph.G.) degree.
Emery Tyler Motley, Ph,D.
1925 - 1952
Dean, School of Pharmacy
Under the leadership of Motley — our longest-serving pharmacy dean — South Carolina
became accredited in 1928 by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and
the following year, a four-year degree program with a pre-pharmacy curriculum was
introduced.
Robert W. Morrison, M.S.
1952 - 1957
Acting Dean, School of Pharmacy
1957 - 1972
Dean, School of Pharmacy
Morrison served as acting dean for five years prior to being installed as dean in
1957. In 1960, the pharmacy curriculum expanded to a five-year bachelor’s degree (B.S.)
program. Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age, Morrison retired as dean but
continued to teach.
Julian H. Fincher, Ph.D.
1972 - 1996
Dean, College of Pharmacy
During alumnus Fincher's tenure as dean, the college established the Palmetto Poison Center in 1972, initiated a Ph.D. program in 1981, and introduced an optional Pharm.D.
program in 1984.
Farid Sadik, Ph.D.
1996 - 2005
Dean, College of Pharmacy
Under Sadik's leadership as dean, the department now known as Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences was formed in 1999, and the college's endowment increased from $2.4 to $16 million.
Joseph DiPiro, Pharm.D.
2005 - 2014
Executive Dean, South Carolina College of Pharmacy
In 2004, the University of South Carolina and Medical University of South Carolina
boards of trustees voted to create a merged pharmacy program. DiPiro served as executive
dean of the partnered SC College of Pharmacy from 2005 to 2014.
Randall Rowen, Pharm.D.
2005 - 2016
Dean, South Carolina College of Pharmacy - Columbia
Rowen became dean of the SC College of Pharmacy Columbia campus in 2005. During his
tenure, the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center was established at USC and the Walker Leadership Scholars program was funded. The USC and MUSC boards of trustees voted in 2015 to pursue independent accreditation.
Wayne Buff, Pharm.D.
2016
Interim Dean, College of Pharmacy
An alumnus of the college, Buff served as interim dean of the College of Pharmacy for six months during the dean's search in 2016. Buff retired as senior associate dean of the College of Pharmacy in 2018.
Stephen J. Cutler, Ph.D.
2016 - Present
Dean, College of Pharmacy
Cutler began as dean at South Carolina in 2016. Under his leadership, the college
played an integral role in the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The
college was one of the first in the nation to develop and gain federal approval for
saliva-based COVID-19 testing. Cutler served as the university's interim provost from July 2021 - August 2022.
Julie M. Sease, Pharm.D.
2021-2022
Interim Dean, College of Pharmacy
An alumna of the college, Sease served as interim dean of the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy during Cutler's thirteen-month
tenure as South Carolina’s interim provost.
Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.