After just over two years on the job,Ohio State University President Ted Carterhas resigned from the university after he disclosed an inappropriate relationship to the board of trustees.
Carter, 66, resigned over the weekend after a rare three-hour executive session for the board on March 7.
Carter told trustees in advance of that meeting that he had an inappropriate relationship with "someone seeking public resources to support her personal business," according to a university statement. He offered to resign and the board accepted.
"The Board was surprised and disappointed to learn of this matter and takes the situation and its potential impact on the university very seriously," Ohio State Board of Trustees Chair John Zeiger said in a letter accepting Carter's resignation. "We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition."
The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, asked the university to clarify the nature of the relationship that led to Carter's resignation. It did not share additional information.
Trustees have consistently praised Carter during his short tenure for providing steady leadership and being an ambassador for the university's land-grant mission and vision. In August,trustees approved a 4.5% merit raise, totaling $51,233,bringing Carter's new base salary to $1,189,733, as well as a $398,475 bonus, about 35% of his base pay.
In a statement sent to the campus community March 9, Carter said he "made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership."
"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," Carter said. "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."
Carter said he and his wife, Lynda, are leaving 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," he said.
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Carter officially began his two-year tenure at Ohio State in January 2024.He succeeded former OSU President Kristina Johnson, who stepped down following two years at the helm in May 2023 in a sudden resignation that revealedconsternation with the board of trustees.
His initial contract was set to run through Dec. 31, 2028.
Before coming to Ohio State, Carter served as president of the University Nebraska system. The bulk of Carter's career was spent in the United States Navy.
He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Navy Fighter Weapons School − also known as Top Gun − and studied at the Navy Nuclear Power School, the U.S. Air Force Air War College, the Naval War College and the Armed Forces Staff College. He led the Naval Academy as its longest continuously serving superintendent since the Civil War.
Carter spent much of his first year at Ohio State on a "listening and learning" tour, speaking with hundreds of students, staff, faculty and other university stakeholders to craft his 10-year strategic plan. That plan − Education for Citizenship 2035 − was introduced in November 2024 and officially launched in July 2025.
His plan included rolling out multiple new scholarships, investments in six specific colleges,an AI Fluency initiativeand a $100 million initiative to attract top faculty to Ohio State.
Ohio State did not immediately announce who would step in as interim president. Zeiger said in a statement to the campus community that the board will share a transition plan later this week. In his statement, Zeiger called on all Buckeyes to help the university succeed during the transition and into the future.
"Our collective dedication to advancing Ohio State's standing as one of the nation's premier public universities is unchanged. 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."
Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at shendrix@dispatch.com and on Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch:Ohio State President Ted Carter resigns over inappropriate relationship
