Editor's Note: Due to an editing error, the state agency which Krisanthe Vlachos registered her limited liability corporation with was incorrectly listed in an earlier version of this story.
After just over two years on the job, Ohio State University President Ted Carter has resigned from the university after admitting to the board of trustees that he had an inappropriate relationship.
Carter, 66, resigned over the weekend after a rare three-hour executive session for the board on March 7.
An unnamed source came to the board of trustees recently to tell them of Carter's inappropriate relationship, according to university spokesman Ben Johnson. The board then confronted Carter about it, prompting Carter to disclose it and offer to resign. The board accepted his resignation.
"The Board was surprised and disappointed to learn of this matter and takes the situation and its potential impact on the university very seriously," Ohio State Board of Trustees Chair John Zeiger said in a letter accepting Carter's resignation. "We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition."
The university statement said Carter admitted "he had an inappropriate relationship with someone seeking state resources to support her personal business."
The Dispatch asked the university to clarify the nature of the relationship that led to Carter's resignation, but Johnson said he didn't know if the relationship was romantic. He said the university will conduct an investigation into the relationship, the woman's business filing listing WOSU Public Media's address as the address of her limited liability corporation, and any concerns about the use of public resources for her business.
Johnson said the woman who had the relationship with Carter was from outside the university.
Hours after Carter's resignation became public, a spokesperson from JobsOhio, Matt Englehart, said the woman that Carter possibly had the relationship with was also the host of a podcast geared toward veterans called "The Callout." The podcast was sponsored by JobsOhio, according to Englehart.
"JobsOhio supports a variety of workforce initiatives to educate and attract veterans about the excellent job opportunities and quality of life in Ohio," JobsOhio said in their statement.
Krisanthe Vlachos is the host of The Callout podcast. The Dispatch has reached out to her for comment.
Carter has appeared on the podcast, according to recordings of The Callout posted to YouTube.
Vlachos registered Vet Earn USA LLC with the Ohio Secretary of State on Dec. 19, 2025. The limited liability corporation lists its business address as 1800 N. Pearl St. in Columbus, which is the address of WOSU Public Media.
The Dispatch has reached out to WOSU for comment on whether Vlachos rents space to record her podcast at WOSU facilities, and whether that has something to do with Carter and the use of "public resources" behind his resignation.
Trustees have consistently praised Carter during his short tenure for providing steady leadership and being an ambassador for the university’s land-grant mission and vision. In August, trustees approved a 4.5% merit raise, totaling $51,233, bringing Carter's new base salary to $1,189,733, as well as a $398,475 bonus, about 35% of his base pay.
In a statement sent to the campus community March 9, Carter said he "made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership."
"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," Carter said. "The students, faculty and staff at this university are among the very best in the world, and the Education for Citizenship 2035 strategic plan has Ohio State poised to succeed for years to come."
Carter said he and his wife, Lynda, are leaving Ohio State with "gratitude and appreciation for this wonderful community."
"It has been an honor to serve as this university’s 17th president, and we wish the university ongoing success," he said.
Carter officially began his two-year tenure at Ohio State in January 2024. He succeeded former OSU President Kristina Johnson, who stepped down following two years at the helm in May 2023 after her sudden resignation revealed consternation with the board of trustees.
His initial contract was set to run through Dec. 31, 2028.
Before coming to Ohio State, Carter served as president of the University of Nebraska system. The bulk of Carter’s career was spent in the United States Navy.
He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Navy Fighter Weapons School — also known as Top Gun — and studied at the Navy Nuclear Power School, the U.S. Air Force Air War College, the Naval War College and the Armed Forces Staff College. He led the Naval Academy as its longest continuously serving superintendent since the Civil War.
Carter spent much of his first year at Ohio State on a "listening and learning" tour, speaking with hundreds of students, staff, faculty and other university stakeholders to craft his 10-year strategic plan. That plan — Education for Citizenship 2035 — was introduced in November 2024 and officially launched in July 2025.
His plan included rolling out multiple new scholarships, investments in six specific colleges, an AI Fluency initiative and a $100 million initiative to attract top faculty to Ohio State.
Ohio State did not immediately announce who would step in as interim president. Johnson said the board is finalizing a transition plan and will have more to share in the coming days, but he was not sure whether an interim president would be appointed. Carter was allowed 90 days to move out of his campus home.
Zeiger said in a statement to the campus community that the board will share a transition plan later this week. In his statement, Zeiger called on all Buckeyes to help the university succeed during the transition and into the future.
"Our collective dedication to advancing Ohio State’s standing as one of the nation’s premier public universities is unchanged. The current strength and momentum of Ohio State and its collective leadership team make us highly confident that our momentum will continue to be strong. You play a critical role in that mission, and we will share additional information about the transition in the coming days."
This story has been updated with additional information from Ohio State.
Dispatch reporter Emma Wozniak contributed reporting.
Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at shendrix@dispatch.com and on Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites.
