The president of Ohio State University resigned after disclosing to university trustees that he had an “inappropriate relationship” with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business, the school announced on Monday.

Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. had been the university’s president for two years. The school did not announce his successor, nor did it provide details on the public resources or business related to his resignation.

“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.”

Carter is a former president of the University of Nebraska system and U.S. Naval War College. He also served as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and as a commander in the U.S. Navy.

His Ohio State salary was roughly $1.2 million as of September 30, 2025 and his contract was set to run through the end of 2028.

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(Reporting by Helen Coster; editing by Edward Tobin)