The University of Ohio State president, Ted Carter, resigned after he admitted he gave “inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership,” to a woman who wanted help with her personal business. Carter’s tenure was marked by the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion programs mandated by the Ohio Legislature under Senate Bill 1. Also, Carter was mandated to establish the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society by the Ohio General Assembly to combat perceived “liberal bias” on college campuses.
When asked about Carter’s tenure as president, Judson Jeffries, a professor of African American and African Studies at Ohio State, said Monday, “I didn’t see him standing up for those whose job responsibilities and whose charges involved diversity, equity and inclusion.” Jeffries also said that students talked to him about their concerns about how OSU was handling student dissent, calling it top-down leadership.
Under Carter, the university cracked down on student protests against Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, where the university arrested dozens. What do students and faculty think about this? A statement was released that stated, “The students, faculty, and staff of Ohio State deserve so much better than the failed leadership that has been inflicted on this institution over the years. The repression of free speech, the dismantling of diversity, the lack of accountability to survivors – the list goes on and on. We demand a more transparent presidential search that involves the input of faculty, staff, and other university stakeholders.”
Who replaced Ted Carter? Executive Vice President Ravi V. Bellamkonda is now The Ohio State University’s 18th president. Many people spoke about the new president in a more positive light than the previous president. Ohio State football coach Ryan Day stated, “Ravi and I spoke last night. He shared to me how important athletics is to our student experience and all Buckeyes across the globe. I’m looking forward to working with Ravi to continue our excellence as we take it to new levels.”
Ohio State Mansfield dean and director Jason Opal stated, “I’m delighted to hear of Ravi’s appointment as President. The first time I spoke with Ravi in early 2025, we talked about our academic interests — biomedical engineering for him, and history for me.
We spoke excitedly about the ways medical innovations have helped to reduce human suffering and promote human flourishing, and about our shared commitment to making The Ohio State University a hub for this kind of progress.” Overall, most faculty and students remain positive about the leadership change for Ohio State.