Ohio State names Walter 'Ted' Carter Jr. from University of Nebraska as new president

Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. was named Tuesday as the next president of Ohio State University by university trustees.

Carter, 64, has served as president of the University of Nebraska system since January 2020, and will start his new role at the helm of Ohio State on Jan. 1. His annual base salary will be $1.1 million and his term will run through Dec. 31, 2028.

Carter rose to the top of a field of Ohio State presidential candidates that included at least 50 people identified by a search firm and 100 others nominated through the university, said board of trustees chair Hiroyuki Fujita, who also led the presidential selection subcommittee.  Fujita described the search as exhaustive, and said the board was excited to bring Carter to Ohio State.

“President Carter brings an unparalleled combination of strategic leadership and true service, and we could not be more thrilled to welcome him and his family to Ohio State,” Fujita said.

Until Carter arrives, Peter Mohler, vice president for research at Ohio State, will serve as acting president, according to the university. Carter replaces Kristina M. Johnson, who stepped down in May as Ohio State's president.

Ohio State, Carter said, has an "unparalleled opportunity" to take on the world's challenges moving forward. Carter said he was drawn to Ohio State because it is large, complex and operates at the highest levels of academia.

"I feel like I have been preparing my entire life for an event that I honestly did not see coming," he said of the Ohio State job.

After trustees approved his hiring, Carter said that he believes higher education itself is somewhat under attack at the moment. Ohio State, he said, can "change the course of that dialogue."

Throughout his career, Carter said he's maintained good working relationships with leaders on both sides of the political spectrum and he plans to do the same in Ohio. Carter said his motto in working with legislators and state leaders is, "I do not write state laws, I follow them."

"I had a good relationship with everyone who sat on the left, who sat on the right because I am a straight shooter," he said.

As president of the University of Nebraska system the last few years, Carter has overseen four campuses of almost 70,000 students, faculty and staff and an academic medical center. Ohio State University, with well over 65,000 students and 50,000 employees across all campuses, is the state’s largest university. In addition to the main Columbus campus, the university maintains four other regional campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Newark and Marion.

While at Nebraska, Carter launched the "Nebraska Promise," a financial aid program guaranteeing full tuition coverage for low-income and middle-income students. He also implemented a budget plan that included a two-year tuition freeze.

A graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the Navy Fighter Weapons School — known as Top Gun — he holds educational credentials from the Navy Nuclear Power School, the U.S. Air Force Air War College, the Naval War College and the Armed Forces Staff College, according to Ohio State.

In 2022, Carter received the U.S. Naval Academy Distinguished Graduate Award, the highest honor bestowed upon academy graduates. The award has been given to just 110 individuals, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the late Sen. John McCain.

Ohio State students Incoming president Carter should prioritize diversity, public interest

After his appointment, Carter took questions on a variety of issues impacting Ohio State right now.

When asked about the accusations of sexual abuse against former university physician Dr. Richard Strauss, Carter said he was aware of the matter, but said he needed to learn more before extensively commenting. He did take the opportunity to apologize to Strauss' victims who have come forward in the last few years.

Carter was also asked how he would conduct a search for Ohio State's next athletic director. Gene Smith announced earlier this month that he will retire at the end of June after 19 years in that position.

Carter said he has plenty of experience hiring in athletics. But, he added, "there is no replacing a legend like Gene Smith."

After former president Johnson stepped down in May, Ohio State's board of trustees at the time chose not to appoint an interim president, instead opting to have senior and executive vice presidents report directly to the trustees.

In February, Ohio State formed a presidential search committee and hired Education Executives — a Santa Barbara, California-based firm — to lead the search.

The search committee held three public forums during spring semester to hear from the campus community about what it wants in a new president. Some attendees told The Dispatch they want Ohio State's next president to carry on initiatives that Johnson began during her tenure, including hiring more tenure-track faculty under the Race, Inclusion and Social Equity Initiative, a focus on sustainability and net-zero carbon emissions, and a commitment to fundraising.

"I love students, they're the whole reason we exist..." Carter said. "What our students will find is that I will engage. I hope they will think that I am approachable and I will listen."

Dispatch reporter Sheridan Hendrix contributed to this story.

mfilby@dispatch.com

@MaxFilby

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State names University of Nebraska's Ted Carter as 17th president