From Cougar country, Washington Sate University said it “will reinstate the original plan for distribution of its Common Reading book, ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma,’ as a result of a private contribution to support the program.” Bill Marler, a food safety lawyer and WSU alumnus, funded the resolution and will also pay for author Michael Pollan to speak on campus.

In case you missed it last week, the president at WSU canceled a “common-reading” for incoming freshmen of Pollan’s bestselling “Omnivore’s Dilemma,” citing budgetary constraints. This reasoning was challenged by the fact the school already purchased 4,000 copies of the book, and people associated with the common reading program declined interviews. Now, everybody says the school bowed to political pressure from agribusiness. The Spokesman-Review reported as much on the culprit: "That political pressure apparently was brought to bear by a member of the board of regents, Harold Cochran, who disapproved of the author’s characterization of agribusiness. Cochran owns and operates a 5,500-acre farm near Walla Walla, is a founding stockholder in the Bank of the West in Walla Walla and is a member of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers."

We’re glad they didn’t get away with this while WSU’s academic integrity has been cheapened. Major props to Marler for stepping up.

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