STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - A former U.S. senator brought in to monitor changes being made at Penn State after the child sex abuse scandal there says it's ``off to a very good start.''

George Mitchell's first quarterly report as Penn State's athletics integrity monitor was released Friday. He notes there's a looming deadline to complete a set of reforms, including implementation of a college sports code of conduct.

The former Maine U.S. senator is overseeing the university's actions under a compliance agreement made this summer with the Indiana-based NCAA and the Big Ten Conference.

A former Penn State assistant football coach has been convicted of abusing boys, some on campus. The university agreed to pay $60 million and suffer a four-year ban on postseason play.

Mitchell says Penn State appears to be making a good faith effort to make the changes.

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Online:

Mitchell press release: http://bit.ly/TwIuhL