Carter has served as president of Ohio State since January 2024.
Ohio State University President Ted Carter resigned this weekend after admitting he was involved in an “inappropriate relationship” with a woman who wanted to use public resources for personal business, The Columbus Dispatch first reported.
Carter, 66, had served as president for two years; his five-year contract was set to expire in 2028. Prior to OSU, he served as president of the University of Nebraska and superintendent at his alma mater, the US Naval Academy.
University spokesman Ben Johnson told the media Shipping that the impeachment process began when an anonymous source alerted the Board of Trustees about Carter’s relationship. Board members then confronted him and he admitted to what the board described as an “improper relationship with a person seeking government services to support his personal business.” Johnson confirmed that the woman in question does not work at the university but declined to reveal the nature of their relationship.
Soon after, Carter asked to step down. The governing body announced his resignation on Monday.
“The board was surprised and disappointed to learn of this matter and takes this situation and its impact on the university very seriously,” board chairman John Zeiger said in a letter accepting Carter’s resignation. “We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition.”
But before he resigned, the board had highly recommended Carter. According to the Shippinghe received at least two promotions during his short tenure. The most recent pay increase, 4.5 percent last August, brought the president’s salary to $1,189,733, with a potential bonus of $398,475.
In a statement to the campus community, Carter said he and his wife, Lynda, are leaving Ohio State “with gratitude and appreciation for this wonderful community.”
“I believe we have made great progress during my time at Ohio State, and I am sorry that I will no longer be able to continue as your president,” he wrote. “It has been an honor to serve as the 17th president of this university, and we wish the university continued success.”
Officials said the university will conduct an investigation into the relationship in the coming weeks to resolve issues related to the use of taxpayer funds. They have not announced an interim president or potential long-term contenders to replace Carter.
Commentators on social media predicted that the former two-time OSU president and current adviser E. Gordon Gee may be considered. (He says this History of Higher Education by phone Monday that he wouldn’t take the job if offered.) Another name in play is former OSU football coach—now Ohio State head coach—Jim Tressel, who was president of Youngstown State University from 2014 to 2023.
Zeiger, the board’s chairman, said more information on next steps will be released later this week.
It’s not the first time Ohio State has had a quick change in leadership. Before Carter, the university was led by Kristina Johnson, who also resigned after only two years in office. The reason for his resignation is not yet known.
Faculty members expressed frustration with the revolving door of leadership.
“The students, faculty and staff at Ohio State University deserve better,” Jennifer Tisone Price, executive director of the Ohio conference of the American Association of University Professors, said in a statement. “This is OSU’s third president starting in 2020. If the university wants to do better for the next one, it must have a transparent hiring process that respects shared governance that includes input from faculty. Shared governance is not just about office fairness. It’s how universities stay honest.”
Meanwhile, Ohio State’s leaders have other issues to deal with. In the past few weeks the university has faced a major backlash regarding Les Wexner, an alum, former trustee and one of the university’s biggest donors, whose name appears regularly in the Epstein files. Many students and alumni have called for the billionaire’s name to be removed from campus buildings and the university’s health facilities, but the university has yet to do so.
The debate created a lot of tension in the institution. In February, a left-leaning reporter tried to approach Gee and ask about his support for Wexner. The reporter was then assaulted by faculty member Luke Perez, who was recently hired to help promote free speech and public discourse. Perez has been put on administrative leave.
