UNLV student president faces impeachment

Saturday, Aug. 23, 1997 | 3:52 a.m.

Joe Mills, who has been accused of wrongdoing in office, and his attorney are fighting what they call a flawed impeachment process by a student senate panel at UNLV.

David Winter, a Las Vegas attorney representing Mills, said his client is seeking an injunction to halt the work of a three-member impeachment committee until more specific procedures are in place and Mills' rights of due process are safeguarded.

However, senate President Terry Moore said Friday the impeachment panel plans to press ahead without changing its rules or structure.

The panel will like meet in early September, Moore said.

The committee's recommendation would go to the full senate for approval.

The panel plans to investigate eight charges brought against Mills by Steve Amend, a student senator representing the College of Business.

Mills is accused of breaking the university system's nepotism policy by hiring his sister, who was never paid for her work handing out hundreds of test sheets and No. 2 pencils during finals week in May.

Amend, in a six-page list of charges, said Mills' sister didn't have enough college credits to qualify as a student employee. Mills also should be impeached, Amend wrote, because he recommended his sister for four paid positions with student government. She never took the jobs.

Three of the accusations focus on Mills' unsuccessful attempts to make personnel changes at KUNV-FM 91.5. Mills sent three radio station employees letters of nonreappointment, but those letters were ignored.

Also, Amend complained that Mills had failed to sign paperwork that nearly caused a delay in a receptionist's pay.

District Judge Myron Leavitt last week denied Mills' request to continue an emergency order halting the work of the impeachment committee. Winter and Mills soon will resubmit a motion.