After nearly a year of (apparently) declining international speaking engagements, former Penn State President Graham Spanier was granted permission to travel outside of the United States. Spanier has been permitted to travel outside of Pennsylvania since December, about two months after he was charged in November 2012.

Dauphin County President Judge Todd Hoover issued an order Thursday allowing Spanier to travel to other countries, as long as certain conditions are met. If he would like to leave the country, Spanier must apply for permission at least 20 days ahead of time, lay out an itinerary, and provide the country’s extradition policy regarding the United States.

The Office of the Attorney General will hold Spanier’s passport until his request is approved. Once he returns to the United States, his passport is expected to be returned to the office within a day.

Timothy Lewis, one of Spanier’s attorneys, asked in the motion filed June 28 for the former president’s bail to be modified because the restrictions are “a deprivation of Dr. Spanier’s liberty as they stand,” adding that the limitations are “excessive” and “unconstitutional.”

The attorney also said the bail conditions interfered with Spanier’s professional plans, as he “has had to decline to consider international speaking engagements that would have provided financial benefit or professional enhancement.”

Maybe now that he’s no longer confined to the United States, we’ll stop seeing G-Span play racquetball at Rec Hall or drinking beer at Otto’s so frequently.