Ohio State University President Ted Carter has resigned.
This comes after the OSU Board of Trustees held a rare meeting on Saturday to discuss personnel matters. Carter was university president beginning in January of 2024. He was hired after former President Kristina Johnson resigned after two years in the position.
An initial statement issued by the university Monday morning said Carter disclosed to trustees that he had an inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business, and offered to resign. When asked, university spokesperson Ben Johnson didn't clarify to WOSU any further about what the nature of this relationship was.
Later on Monday afternoon, Johnson held a press conference where he said that someone from outside the university approached the board of trustees in recent days and made claims about an inappropriate relationship with Carter.
Carter was then asked about the allegation and when confronted, he offered to resign as president.
“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 in a statement.
"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," Carter continued.
John Zeiger, chair of the Ohio State University Board of Trustees, issued a statement that said in part:
"I write to share that The Ohio State University Board of Trustees has accepted President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr.’s resignation. The president recently disclosed to trustees that he had an inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business and offered to resign."
Carter said in a resignation letter submitted Saturday that he would be resigning effective Saturday and that he is grateful for his time at OSU and appreciates the board's understanding.
Zeiger responded to Carter in a letter, accepting Carter's resignation. He said the move surprised him.
"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I accept your resignation as President of The Ohio State University. The Board was surprised and disappointed to learn of this matter and takes the situation and its potential impact on the university very seriously," Zeiger said. We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition. Thank you for your service to Ohio State, I wish both you and Lynda the very best in the future."
Carter's tenure was marked by the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion programs mandated by the Ohio Legislature under Senate Bill 1. Carter also was mandated to establish the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society by the Ohio General Assembly to combat perceived "liberal bias" on college campuses.
Asked about Carter's tenure as president, Judson Jeffries, a professor of African American and African studies at Ohio State, said Monday, "I didn't see him standing up for those whose job responsibilities and whose charges involved diversity, equity and inclusion."
Jeffries also said that students talked to him about their concerns about how OSU was handling student dissent, calling it top-down leadership.
Under Carter the university cracked down on student protests against Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza where the university arrested dozens.
The Ohio State University Buckeyes won a College Football national championship under Carter.
Due to the release of the Epstein Files by the U.S. Department of Justice, OSU has faced pressure to remove Ohio billionaire Leslie Wexner's name from university buildings.
The Board of Trustees met Saturday in a rare weekend session for nearly 3 hours in executive session to discussion matters related to pending litigation or personnel matters. At the time, Zeiger declined to comment to WOSU.
The American Association of University Professors chapter at Ohio State University was critical of Carter's tenure in a statement sent to WOSU.
“The students, faculty, and staff of Ohio State deserve so much better than the failed leadership that has been inflicted on this institution over the years. The repression of free speech, the dismantling of diversity, the lack of accountability to survivors - the list goes on and on. We demand a more transparent presidential search that involves the input of faculty, staff, and other university stakeholders," the statement said.
The Ohio Nurses Association, which represents nurses at the OSU Wexner Medical Center, said in a statement Carter's resignation raises serious questions about his leadership and accountability at OSU. The ONA is among groups calling for OSU to remove Wexner's name from buildings.
The ONA said "one resignation isn't enough."
"Real accountability must start at the top. John Zeiger has a glaring conflict of interest as the personal attorney for Leslie Wexner and should also resign immediately as chair of the board," the statement said.
Carter said he and his wife Lynda Carter will leave Ohio State with gratitude and appreciation for university community. He said it has been an honor to serve as this university’s 17th president, and he wishes the university ongoing success.
The university didn't announce who would fill in for Carter as interim president. Johnson said the board is finalizing a transition plan and will share more information in the coming days.
WOSU has submitted a public records request for Carter's personnel file.
