Arkansas Blog

Lu is always good at spending our money. Hey give me a couple of million to spend on my friends and a big expense fund to wine and dine on and I will be Arkansan of the year!

I am no Lu Hardin fan, and I often disagree with Brummett. But in this case, they were both right. Part of the mission of a university is to promote literacy (in both senses of the word), and the Oxford American does exactly that. It shows the university, the state, and the region in a good light. Sure you could make a case that Hardin saved the magazine to make himself look good, but in the end, isn't that at least partly why everybody does everything?

Give credit where credit is due. Warwick Sabin is primarily responsible for the Oxford American's rebound, not Lu Hardin. Sure, Hardin signed off on the deal that put the OA under the umbrella of UCA. But Warwick helped make it all possible and anybody associated with the magazine knows that. The OA is now back on track and seems more capable than ever of completing its mission: Chronicling the South and highlighting its cultural achievements.
Even Marc Smirnoff said as much in a recent story: http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=106648.41176.118786&cID=e
I respect the fact that Hardin has found the OA a worthy entity to support. But people like Warwick and Marc deserve the lion share of the credit for the OA's sudden revival. They are the ones who TRULY believe in the magazine and have made it a positive investment for UCA.