Ohio State president Ted Carter has resigned.
Ohio State’s board of trustees accepted Carter’s resignation on Monday after the president recently disclosed to trustees that he had “an inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business.”
The trustees thanked Carter for his two years of leadership and credited him with helping Ohio State expand its Education for Citizenship plan, rise in national rankings and increase research expenditures. Carter expressed gratitude in a statement.
“For personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role as president of The Ohio State University. I disclosed to the board of trustees that I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership,” Carter said. “I believe we have made much progress during my time at Ohio State, and I’m sorry I’m not able to remain your president longer. The students, faculty and staff at this university are among the very best in the world, and the Education for Citizenship 2035 strategic plan has Ohio State poised to succeed for years to come.
“I have enjoyed a strong working relationship with the board of trustees, and I’m grateful for their support and guidance. … Lynda and I leave Ohio State with gratitude and appreciation for this wonderful community. It has been an honor to serve as this university’s 17th president, and we wish the university ongoing success.”
Carter began his tenure at Ohio State in January 2024, succeeding former president Kristina Johnson. Johnson stepped down in May 2023 after two years at the helm, with her abrupt resignation revealing tensions with the university’s board of trustees. Carter’s contract was set to run through Dec. 31, 2028.
Before arriving at Ohio State, Carter had been Nebraska's president for four years. He had previously served as the 62nd superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and 54th president of the U.S. Naval War College.
A 1981 graduate of the Naval Academy, Carter studied oceanography and lettered four times in ice hockey. Carter also graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) and studied at the Navy Nuclear Power School, the U.S. Air Force War College, the Naval War College and Armed Forces Staff College.
Ohio State has not announced who will serve as interim president following Carter’s resignation. In a statement to The Columbus Dispatch's Sheridan Hendrix, board of trustees chair John Zeiger said trustees will share a transition plan later this week.
“Our collective dedication to advancing Ohio State’s standing as one of the nation’s premier public universities is unchanged,” Zeiger said. “The current strength and momentum of Ohio State and its collective leadership team make us highly confident that our momentum will continue to be strong. You play a critical role in that mission, and we will share additional information about the transition in the coming days.”
