COLUMBUS, Ohio — Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. has resigned as president at Ohio State University after revealing “an inappropriate relationship” with someone seeking public resources for her private business.
Carter, who came to the university after serving as president of the University of Nebraska from 2020 to 2023, submitted his resignation to the Ohio State University Board of Trustees on Saturday.
It was accepted on Monday.
In a statement, Carter said that “personal reasons” led to the “difficult decision” to resign.
“I disclosed to the board of trustees that I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership,” 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.”
Board of Trustees President John Zeiger said in a statement that the panel was “surprised and disappointed” to learn about the relationship.
The Board “takes the situation and its potential impact on the university very seriously,” Zeiger said in his response.
“We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition,” Zeiger wrote.
Carter became Ohio State’s 17th president, assuming the post on Jan. 1, 2024, WHIO reported.
Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson said someone from outside the university came directly to the Board of Trustees about the relationship, according to WBNS.
When the board confronted Carter about the relationship, he offered to resign, the television station reported.
On Tuesday, Johnson confirmed to the Cleveland Plain Dealer that a podcast was part of its investigation that led to Carter’s resignation.
"The Callout" podcast is hosted by Krisanthe Vlachos, according to the newspaper. Her business entity is called Vet Earn USA LLC, and she registered it with the Ohio Secretary of State on Dec. 20, 2025.
“The Vet Earn USA LLC business filing is part of the university investigation regarding public resources,” Johnson told the Plain Dealer.
Vlachos interviews U.S. military veterans and active-duty service members who speak about transition of military personnel back to civilian life, according to a podcast description.
Vlachos’Jan. 7 episode for the podcast was a panel discussion that included Carter and JobsOhio President J.P. Nauseef.
“JobsOhio is aware that Ted Carter resigned this morning as President of The Ohio State University, and that this situation is possibly connected to a relationship between him and the host of a podcast for veterans, which we sponsored,” the company said in a statement.
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