COLUMBUS, OHIO — Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. resigned as president of Ohio State University in April 2026 after a board-ordered investigation found he violated university policy by attempting to help a woman with whom he had a close personal relationship obtain a job and access university resources. The 47-page report, produced by offices reporting to the board's legal, audit, risk, and compliance committee, said his conduct was inconsistent with the university's shared values.

The board of trustees requested the investigation after Carter resigned following revelations of the relationship. Before his resignation, the board confronted him about a tip received from outside the university.

"I made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership," Carter said when he submitted his resignation. He did not elaborate on the nature of the relationship or whether it was romantic.

The report said Carter had a personal and business relationship with Krisanthe Vlachos, who hosted a podcast for military veterans, and allowed that relationship to influence his actions and impair his judgment. His efforts to help Vlachos inside and outside the university continued for almost two years, according to the report, and at least 14 university employees received direct requests from him to assist her.

Carter recommended that a school official hire Vlachos, sought campus space for her to conduct business, requested staff assistance for her podcast and business projects, pursued university investment in her business proposals, and sought support for her from outside agencies such as JobsOhio, the state's privatized economic development office. The report documented that his actions led to misapplied time and effort by numerous university personnel.

"The investigation's findings were deeply disappointing," Ohio State board chair John Zeiger said. He said the university's systems, processes, and personnel prevented misuse of the school's resources.

Carter, a retired Navy vice admiral, was two years into a five-year contract that paid more than $1.1 million a year plus bonuses and residency at the president's mansion. He oversaw a fiscal year 2026 budget totaling $11.5 billion in revenues and $10.9 billion in expenditures at the nation's sixth-largest university, which has more than 60,000 students and over 600,000 living alumni.

Contact information for Carter was not available on Tuesday, and Vlachos did not respond to an email inquiry. Carter and Vlachos did not immediately respond to the report.