Ohio State University President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. resigned abruptly over the weekend following the disclosure of “an inappropriate relationship” with a woman seeking public resources for her personal business.
The Associated Press reports that Carter, 66, said in a statement that he had resigned voluntarily after informing the university’s board of trustees of his error. He did not elaborate on the nature of the relationship; his statement indicated that he and his wife, Lynda, are still a couple.
“For personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role as president of The Ohio State University,” he said. “I disclosed to the board of trustees that I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership.”
Board Chair John Zeiger accepted Carter’s resignation in a letter dated Sunday.
“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 wrote. “We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition.”
The board had been pleased with Carter’s work overall. Trustees awarded him a more than $50,000 merit raise in August on top of his $1.1 million annual salary, as well as a nearly $400,000 bonus. His contract was supposed to run through 2028.
Ohio State, one of the nation's largest universities, has more than 60,000 students and over 600,000 living alumni. The university brought Carter on board in 2023 from the University of Nebraska system. He is also a former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and a retired vice admiral.
