Married Ohio State President "Ted" Carter Jr. resigned from his $1.5 million-a-year position on Monday after admitting he had an "inappropriate relationship" with a woman who had been seeking the university's help with her business. Carter didn't elaborate on the details further.
Carter, 66, said in a statement that he chose to resign voluntarily after admitting to the university's board of trustees that he "made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership." He did not go into detail about the circumstances surrounding the relationship, but said he was leaving alongside his wife of nearly 45 years. The identity of the other woman has not been publicly revealed.
An Affair and a Resignation
"Lynda and I leave 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," wrote Carter, who led the nation's sixth-largest university for just over two years.
A biography of Lynda Carter from the University of Nebraska—where Carter served as president from 2020 to 2023—mentions that the couple first met in 1979 at a hockey game at the U.S. Naval Academy.
They married in 1982 after Carter graduated from the academy, where he still holds the national record for carrier-arrested landings and later returned to serve as superintendent.
During their marriage, Lynda was often recognized as a devoted "military spouse." According to the bio, that role included moving 20 times to different places around the world while raising their two children, Brittany and Christopher, who are now adults.
Married Life Spoiled
At Ohio State, Carter stepped into the role after the unexpected mid-contract resignation of President Kristina Johnson. Trustees had regularly praised his leadership while he managed the university's massive $11.5 billion budget.
In fact, the board approved a 4.5 percent merit raise for Carter in August, increasing his base salary to $1.2 million and awarding him a $400,000 bonus.
But this week, the situation took a turn. In a letter responding to Carter's resignation, Board Chairman John W. Zeiger said the trustees were "surprised and disappointed to learn of" the former president's inappropriate relationship.
"We respect your decision and appreciate your cooperation in supporting an orderly leadership transition. Thank you for your service to Ohio State, I wish both you and Lynda the very best in the future," Zeiger said.
