Trending Now - Ohio State University President Steps Down Amid Scandal
WHO:
Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. served as President of Ohio State University from 2024 until his resignation in March 2026.
John Zeiger is the Chair of the Ohio State University Board of Trustees.
Walter "Ted" Carter Jr., age 66, resigned as President of Ohio State University.
John Zeiger, Chair of the Ohio State University Board of Trustees, accepted Carter's resignation.
Ben Johnson, spokesperson for Ohio State University.
Krisanthe Vlacho, host of "The Callout" podcast, believed to be involved in the inappropriate relationship with Walter "Ted" Carter Jr.
J.P. Nauseef, President of JobsOhio, participated in a podcast interview with Carter.
Walter "Ted" Carter Jr., President of Ohio State University
Lynda Carter, wife of Walter "Ted" Carter Jr.
John Zeiger, Chair of the Ohio State University Board of Trustees
Ben Johnson, spokesperson for Ohio State University
Kristina Johnson, former President of Ohio State University
Michael Drake, former President of Ohio State University
Jennifer Tisone Price, executive director of the Ohio conference of the American Association of University Professors
WHAT:
The Board of Trustees accepted Carter's resignation in a letter dated March 6th, 2026.
The university is investigating the nature of the relationship disclosed by Carter.
Ohio State University is the nation's sixth-largest university, with over 60,000 students and over 600,000 living alumni.
The university's fiscal year 2026 budget totals $11.5 billion in revenues and $10.9 billion in expenditures.
Carter stated, "I disclosed to the board of trustees that I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership."
The Board of Trustees was "surprised and disappointed" to learn of the matter, according to Zeiger.
The university is investigating Carter's impropriety and is working on a leadership transition plan.
JobsOhio stated it believes the individual involved in the inappropriate relationship is Krisanthe Vlacho, who runs a podcast sponsored by the agency.
Vlacho registered VetEarnUSA on December 20th, 2025.
Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. resigned from his position as President of Ohio State University.
The resignation was due to the disclosure of "an inappropriate relationship" with a woman seeking public resources for her personal business.
Carter stated, "For personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role as president of The Ohio State University."
The university has opened an investigation into Carter's impropriety.
Ohio State University has a fiscal year 2026 budget totaling $11.5 billion in revenues and $10.9 billion in expenditures.
Carter's annual salary was $1.1 million, with a merit raise of over $50,000 awarded in August 2025, and a nearly $400,000 bonus.
WHERE:
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
The university's president's residence is a mansion valued at approximately $3.6 million.
WHEN:
Carter began his tenure as Ohio State's president in 2024.
Kristina Johnson resigned from Ohio State University in November 2022.
Carter's resignation was accepted on March 6th, 2026, and the letter was dated March 5th, 2026.
Carter was interviewed by Vlacho on January 7th, 2026.
Carter resigned on March 6th, 2026.
The letter accepting Carter's resignation was dated March 5th, 2026.
Carter was appointed President of Ohio State University in 2023.
WHY:
The Board of Trustees was surprised and disappointed to learn of Carter's inappropriate relationship, which involved someone seeking public resources for her personal business.
The resignation followed concerns raised by someone outside the university regarding Carter's relationship.
The Board of Trustees received concerns from someone outside the university regarding the relationship, prompting Carter to disclose details and resign.
Carter resigned after informing the board of trustees of his error in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership.
HOW:
The Board of Trustees held a private executive session on March 5th, 2026, where they disclosed concerns to Carter regarding the relationship.
The Board of Trustees held a private executive session on March 5th, 2026, where they disclosed concerns to Carter.
The Board of Trustees held a closed session on March 5th, 2026, where they disclosed to Carter the concerns involving the relationship.
Carter disclosed the relationship to the board of trustees before resigning.
(UPDATED March 10, 2026 13:19 UTC)
Ohio State University President Ted Carter Jr. resigned last week, with the Board of Trustees accepting his resignation in a letter dated March 6, 2026, after an investigation revealed an inappropriate relationship involving someone seeking public resources for personal gain. John Zeiger, the Chair of the Board, expressed surprise and disappointment over the situation, which came to light during a private executive session held on March 5. Ohio State, the nation's sixth-largest university with over 60,000 students, is currently navigating this transition while managing a fiscal year 2026 budget of $11.5 billion in revenues and $10.9 billion in expenditures.
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(UPDATED March 10, 2026 11:10 UTC)
In a significant development, Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. has resigned as President of Ohio State University, with his resignation accepted by John Zeiger, Chair of the Board of Trustees, on March 6. Carter admitted to making a mistake by allowing inappropriate access to university leadership, which left the Board surprised and disappointed, prompting an investigation into his actions and a plan for leadership transition. The concerns that led to this situation were raised by an external source, and the Board had previously discussed these issues with Carter during a private executive session on March 5.
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(UPDATED March 10, 2026 07:16 UTC)
In a significant development, Krisanthe Vlacho, the host of "The Callout" podcast, has been identified by JobsOhio as being involved in an inappropriate relationship with Walter "Ted" Carter Jr., who recently resigned after disclosing details to the Board of Trustees. The Board held a closed session on March 5, where they addressed concerns raised by an external party regarding the relationship, which had come to light following an interview Vlacho conducted with Carter on January 7. Additionally, it's worth noting that Vlacho registered VetEarnUSA on December 20, 2025, and J.P. Nauseef, President of JobsOhio, participated in a podcast interview with Carter.
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(UPDATED March 10, 2026 05:20 UTC)
Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. resigned as President of Ohio State University on March 6, 2026, following the disclosure of an inappropriate relationship with a woman seeking public resources for her business. In his resignation letter, dated March 5, Carter stated, "For personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role as president of The Ohio State University," and the university has since opened an investigation into the matter. Carter, who was appointed in 2023 and earned an annual salary of $1.1 million, informed the board of trustees of his error in allowing inappropriate access to university leadership before stepping down.