Dr. Michael Mills has served as University of Northern Colorado's Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) since January 2007 when he took over for Dr. Robert Heiny, who stepped down from the position after 22 years of service.

A native of Iowa, Mills grew up in Augusta, Georgia and graduated from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia with a B.A. degree in English. Mills went on to earn his M.A. in Literature and an Ed.D. in Curriculum Studies.

A faculty member in the School of English Language and Literature and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mills assists the Athletic Department with compliance issues, advocates for student-athlete welfare, and serves as a liaison between the athletic department and the University faculty. The FAR position is funded by, and reports to the President of the University, as an independent oversight and investigative office.

Mills has taught literature and writing at UNC since 2005. He previously taught writing and literature at Georgia Southern University for 16 years in the Department of Writing and Linguistics, where he also served as Coordinator for Advisement and Recruitment. In both 1998 and 2005, Mills was awarded the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit for Faculty Academic Advising and was named Georgia Southern University's 1997-1998 Advisor of the Year.

In 2004, Mills received the Georgia Southern University, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty Research Award. At GSU, he served on the University's Strategic Planning Council, Faculty Senate Executive Committee, SACS Reaccredidation Committee, NCAA Recertification Committee, and Student Media Advisory Board. Mills also served for 10 years as faculty advisor to the university's literary magazine Miscellany.

At UNC, Mills serves on many University boards and committees, chairing the Board of Athletic Control and sitting on the President's Planning Council and NCAA Recertification Committee. Mills serves the School of English Language and Literature on the Writer's Conference Committee and Writing Committee. Mills has also been Associate Editor of the journal English Education, since 2004, which is published by the Conference on English Education, National Council of Teachers of English.

Mills is married to Dr. Denise A. Battles, Dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences at UNC.