Ted Carter has stepped down as Ohio State University president after just over two years in the role. The Ohio State Board of Trustees accepted his resignation on Monday after he disclosed an inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources for a personal business. The relationship involved allowing what Carter called "inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership."
Carter, who started his role on January 1, 2024, made the disclosure to trustees during an executive meeting and submitted his resignation on Saturday, with the university accepting on Sunday. The announcement came on Monday morning. In a statement, Carter said he "made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership" and cited personal reasons for stepping down. The identity of the person involved was not disclosed.
During his time at Ohio State, Carter had become a visible voice in college athletics conversations, particularly around the ongoing debates over the NIL (name, image, likeness) model funding athletes. He had warned that the current college sports financial system was "not sustainable" without significant changes. Before Ohio State, Carter served as president of the University of Nebraska System and as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. The Board of Trustees expressed gratitude for his contributions, noting progress on the Education for Citizenship 2035 strategic plan and rising national rankings. Ohio State will share additional information about the leadership transition in the coming days.