Ohio State trustees set special Thursday meeting to name next university leader after Carter resignation

Trustees to meet Thursday morning in Columbus

The Ohio State University’s Board of Trustees has scheduled a special meeting for 9 a.m. Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Longaberger Alumni House in Columbus to name the institution’s next “university leader.” The meeting comes days after President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. resigned, triggering a fast-moving leadership transition at one of the nation’s largest public universities.

University officials have not publicly specified whether the leader announced Thursday will serve on an interim basis or be appointed to the permanent presidency. The university has also indicated it is working on a broader transition plan following the resignation.

Resignation followed disclosure of “inappropriate relationship”

Carter resigned after disclosing to trustees an “inappropriate relationship” involving a person seeking public resources to support a personal business. The university has said it opened an investigation into the matter. Carter did not publicly describe the nature of the relationship, including whether it was romantic, and said he resigned voluntarily.

Carter’s resignation was accepted by the board chair in a letter dated Sunday, March 8, 2026, following a trustees’ executive session held the prior day.

In public statements, the board characterized the development as serious and emphasized the need for an orderly transition.

Operational continuity while leadership changes

Until a new leader is formally named, university leadership responsibilities have been described as distributed across senior administrators who oversee day-to-day operations. Ohio State is a major academic and research institution with a large student population, an extensive alumni network, and a nationally prominent medical center and athletics enterprise, making continuity planning a key near-term governance issue.

Questions around public resources and outside affiliations

The resignation has also drawn attention to questions about the use of public resources and the relationship between university leadership and outside entities. JobsOhio, a private nonprofit economic development organization, has publicly linked Carter’s resignation to a relationship connected to a veterans-focused podcast in which Carter appeared. Separately, reporting has identified the podcast’s host as having registered a business in December 2025 using an address associated with WOSU Public Media; the university has said this business filing is part of its investigation regarding public resources.

What to watch at Thursday’s meeting

• Whether trustees appoint an interim leader or announce a longer-term appointment.

• Any details on the leadership transition plan and how executive authority will be structured immediately afterward.

• Whether trustees provide additional information on the scope and timeline of the ongoing investigation.

The board’s Thursday announcement is expected to clarify who will lead the university in the immediate aftermath of Carter’s departure and how the institution will manage governance and operational stability in the months ahead.