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Penn State's NCAA-Appointed Integrity Monitor Gives Recommendation to End Monitorship Two Years Early

Another piece of the sanctions are gone.

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

As part of Penn State's sanctions following the Jerry Sandusky scandal, the NCAA and the school agreed to the Athletics Integrity Agreement which appointed an integrity monitor who was set to report on Penn State athletics until the year 2017. Now, it would appear that said agreement will meet its end before the initial, agreed upon date.

From the conclusion of the report-

"Penn State’s achievements over the past three years inform my decision to recommend the early termination of the Monitorship to take effect at the end of the 2015 calendar year barring any unforeseen circumstances. The NCAA and Big Ten Conference have accepted this recommendation. Penn State has institutionalized strong processes and structures to ensure compliance with its obligations and promptly and effectively address problems which inevitably arise in any large organization.

The conclusion of the Monitorship will not, however, mark an end to Penn State’s athletics integrity obligations. Penn State is obliged to abide by the terms of the AIA for an additional two years under the five-year term of the agreement. President Barron personally assured me of his intention to maintain the governance and compliance enhancements beyond the expiration of the AIA’s five-year term.

Both Senator Mitchell and I are grateful to the NCAA and the Big Ten Conference for the responsibility they placed with us. We are also grateful to the many Penn State officials with whom we worked. Their accomplishments over the last three years are remarkable and were undertaken with the best interests of the University at heart. Their unfailing cooperation made our work much easier. It was a privilege to observe and report upon the reformation and strengthening of a great University."

Although the need for such a monitor in the first place was heavily questioned by the Penn State community, there's no doubt that the extremely high praise the school received from Senator Mitchell and Charles Scheeler as a result helped repair the image of Penn State in the eyes of NCAA. The full report can be found below.

Athletic Integrity Report