Ohio State president resigns over ‘inappropriate’ relationship after two years in role 

Ohio State University President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. announced his resignation Monday, citing an “inappropriate” relationship with a woman seeking public resources for her business, according to multiple reports.

“For personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role as president of The Ohio State University,” Carter said in a statement. “I disclosed to the Board of Trustees that I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership.”

The woman involved in the “inappropriate relationship” was not named, but speculation has connected her to the podcast “The Callout,” which is geared toward veterans, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Krisanthe Vlachos hosts “The Callout” podcast and listed the address for her limited liability corporation as the same as WOSU Public Media, The Dispatch reported.

Ohio State Board of Trustees Chair John Zeiger accepted Carter’s resignation and said the board will begin an investigation into the matter.

“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 in a statement. “We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition.”

University spokesman Ben Johnson informed the board of Carter’s relationship, and trustees confronted Carter about the allegations over the weekend, The Dispatch reported. Carter, 66, resigned, ending his four-year contract, which was set to run through December 2028.

During his tenure, Carter launched a 10-year strategic plan, Education for Citizenship 2035, which began in July 2025. The plan included new scholarships, an AI fluency initiative and recruitment of additional faculty, according to The Dispatch.

“It has been an honor to serve as this university’s 17th president, and we wish the university ongoing success,” Carter said. “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’s resignation follows several short presidential tenures at the university, one of the largest in the nation with about 67,000 students, according to The Center Square.

Carter came to Ohio State in January 2024 after serving four years as president of the University of Nebraska. He also served five years as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland – the longest continuously serving superintendent since the Civil War, according to The Dispatch.

Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as Top Gun. He also 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, according to The Dispatch.

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/The Ohio State University)