Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University has appointed Carol Bishop Mills as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, effective August 1, 2025. Mills joins EMU with over twenty years of experience in higher education leadership and faculty development. Her most recent role was as associate dean of Faculty Success at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), where she also directed the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies.

“Dr. Mills has an exceptional record of advancing inclusive academic excellence and creating transformative student experiences,” stated Rhonda Longworth, provost and executive vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at EMU. “She’s a demonstrated leader who builds transformation through collaboration, curiosity, and a genuine belief in what’s possible for our students and our university.”

During her tenure at FAU, Mills initiated several programs aimed at supporting faculty promotion and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. She was instrumental in launching initiatives such as Express Your Degree, designed to accommodate working students with flexible learning options, while also securing scholarships for industry exploration trips.

Mills expressed enthusiasm about her new role: “From my first moments on campus, I felt EMU’s commitment to belonging, excellence, and innovation,” she said. “I’m grateful to join a university that understands the power of education to transform lives and communities.”

As dean, Mills will manage organizational planning within the College of Arts and Sciences at EMU. Her responsibilities include overseeing fiscal operations across departments, preparing budgets, evaluating academic programs for improvement opportunities, recruiting faculty and staff members, conducting performance reviews, maintaining professional relationships within the university community as well as with external partners.

Mills holds a Ph.D. in Communication Theory from Purdue University along with degrees from Emerson College and the University of Miami. Her research focuses on communication's impact on relationships including workplace dynamics and political discourse.

The selection process for this position involved a national search facilitated by Anthem Executive.

Eastern Michigan University was founded in 1849 making it one of Michigan's oldest public universities currently serving nearly 13 thousand students across various disciplines offered through multiple colleges including arts sciences business education engineering technology health human services graduate school among others known nationally recognized its diversity applied educational approach visit official website more details updates activities announcements available online platform EMU Today