Ohio State University President Walter Carter Jr. has resigned after informing the school’s board of trustees that he had engaged in an “inappropriate relationship,” according to a statement released by the university Monday.
Carter, who had served as the university’s president for two years, said the relationship involved “someone seeking public resources” and acknowledged that he had made a mistake in allowing the individual inappropriate access to university leadership in support of a personal business venture.
“I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership to support her personal business,” Carter said in his statement.
The university did not provide additional details about the nature of the relationship or identify the individual involved.
Ohio State spokesman Ben Johnson said the board of trustees became aware of the issue after being alerted by someone outside the university. Johnson said the university will now investigate whether any public resources were improperly used.
The chair of Ohio State’s board of trustees, John W. Zeiger, accepted Carter’s resignation in a letter released by the 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 wrote. “We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition.”
Carter, a retired vice admiral and naval flight officer, brought a long career in military and higher education leadership to the role. Before joining Ohio State, he served as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and later as president of the U.S. Naval War College.
He also served as president of the University of Nebraska system beginning in 2020 before taking the helm at Ohio State in January 2024.
Carter’s contract as Ohio State president was set to run through 2028. According to university records, his annual salary was about $1.2 million.
In its statement, the university highlighted several accomplishments during Carter’s tenure, including improvements in national rankings and expanded scholarship opportunities for students.
However, his leadership also drew criticism from some faculty groups. The university’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors criticized decisions made under Carter’s administration, including the dismantling of diversity programs and disciplinary actions related to protest activity on campus.
The resignation also comes at a time when Ohio State has faced scrutiny on other issues.
Students and faculty have recently called on the university to sever ties with donor and former board chair Les Wexner because of the retail billionaire’s past connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Protests have included a student walkout demanding that Wexner’s name be removed from several campus facilities, including the Wexner Medical Center, the Les Wexner Football Complex, and the Wexner Center for the Arts.
Additionally, the university faced controversy last month when an assistant professor affiliated with the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society was placed on leave after a viral video showed him knocking a journalist to the ground during an attempted interview with a former Ohio State president.
University officials said they will provide additional information about the leadership transition in the coming days.
