COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio State University’s recently resigned president violated school policy by trying to help a woman with whom he had a close personal relationship get a job at the school and access the institution’s public resources, the university said in a report released Tuesday.
The investigation was requested by Ohio State trustees following an incident Sudden resignation Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. was appointed as the school’s president after revealing what she called an “inappropriate relationship.”
Ohio State Board Chairman John Zeiger said in a statement that the results of the investigation were “extremely disappointing.”
He said the university’s systems, processes and people running it prevented misuse of school resources, though the report also documented how Carter’s actions led to “misuse of time and effort by numerous university employees.”
At least 14 university employees received direct requests from Carter to assist Chrysanthe Vlachos, the report said.
The investigation was conducted by offices that typically report to the Legal, Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee of the Board of Directors.
The 47-page report said Carter made various efforts to convince school staff to help Vlachos, who hosted a podcast for military veterans.
This included recommending a school official to hire her; Find space on campus to do business; Enlisting the help of employees with her podcast and business ventures; It is seeking university investment in its business proposals and getting support from outside agencies, such as JobsOhio, the state’s privatized economic development office.
“Carter’s actions betrayed Ohio State’s shared values and violated university policy,” the report said. “Carter had a close personal and business relationship with Vlachos, and allowed that relationship to improperly influence his actions and impair his judgment.”
His “extensive” efforts to help the Vlachos inside and outside of school continued for about two years, the report said.
Carter and Vlachos did not immediately respond to the report. Contact information for Carter was not available Tuesday and Vlachos did not respond to an email inquiry.
Before Carter resigned, the Board of Trustees confronted Carter about a tip from outside the university.
He revealed that he “made a mistake by allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State’s leadership,” in a statement upon his introduction His resignation. The school said it was investigating Carter’s “inappropriate relationship with an individual seeking public resources to support her personal business.”
Carter did not clarify the nature of the relationship and whether it was romantic. The retired Navy vice admiral had only been there for two years Five-year contract He made more than $1.1 million a year, plus bonuses and accommodations in the Ohio president’s mansion.
Ohio State is the nation’s sixth-largest university, with more than 60,000 students, more than 600,000 living alumni, a football team, and a top-ranking medical center. Carter supervised the budget for the fiscal year 2026, which totaled $11.5 billion in revenues and $10.9 billion in expenditures.