UNLV student leader’s action questioned

Debra D. Bass

Tuesday, July 15, 1997 | 9:35 a.m.

Elected in May, UNLV Student Body President Joe Mills may be out of office before the fall semester begins in his zeal to flex some muscle.

Mills sent termination letters last month to the managing staff of KUNV 91.5-FM, the campus radio station housed on the third floor of the student union. He said the station was not serving the best interests of the students with its programming choices, despite that fact that student fees help fund the operation.

Those receiving a letter from Mills were Don Fuller, general manager of KUNV-91; Brian Sanders, program manager; and Janice Carter, development director.

"He basically told us to clean out our offices by June 30," Fuller said.

Fuller and his staff have yet to pack their bags because Mills, who was unavailable for comment, does not have the authority to fire KUNV staff. Technically, they are state employees whose contracts are renewed by the university's administration and the student senate.

As student body president, Mills would have the option of vetoing a contract renewal voted on by the senate, but he does not have the power to fire outright.

The senate created a committee Monday to review whether impeachment proceedings are warranted against Mills for his actions. The committee is scheduled to hold a Sept. 28 meeting at which time the senate will also review the contracts of Fuller and his staff.

"In my opinion, what Joe has done does not deserve impeachment," said Margaret Persch, senate president pro tempore. "He was acting in the best interests of the student body at large. He represents the student body."

Fuller explained that there has been a running dialogue between student government and the station regarding its format and programming choices.

"Our charter is to run a community radio station," Fuller said of the complaint that they don't cater enough to students.

He said surveys done on campus to reveal why students don't respond to the station's promotions show that most would rather spend their time listening to commercial radio stations. Fuller said KUNV doesn't have the resources to fight the slick campaigns of commercial stations that hold live remotes, cash giveaways and special events.

"From the surveys we've reviewed, commercial radio does a better job of capturing the 12-24 audience, in ways we just can't compete with," Fuller said. "But even if we could, I don't know if it's our place to compete with commercial radio. We are here to give the community what it's not getting anywhere else."

As a result, KUNV has become synonymous with jazz, even though it devotes an equal allotment of time to rock -- including punk, ska, metal, heavy metal and industrial rock. The station now plays jazz, in all its variations, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and rock from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

According to Fuller, the response from listeners has been overwhelmingly positive, which has been documented by College Broadcast Association research and reports by agencies that keep track of who's listening to what.

"We are obviously playing something that people have wanted to listen to, the question is whether we are here for the community," Fuller said.

Student government has given the station $90,000 annually to supplement the station's operating costs. Over the years, that has become an ever-shrinking portion of what it actually takes to run the station. Last year's tally was $246,000.

Next year, student government will be providing only $45,000 to the station, which means it must boost fund-raising efforts to maintain the same level of funding.

According to Fuller, the station has two paid student interns and a number of student disc jockeys who host jazz and rock programs, as well as produce certain segments. So he's not sure what it would take to become more student oriented.

If the Legislature had not run late, Fuller would have already received his contract renewal, but the delay has put his status at the station in limbo because of Mills' would-be termination letter.