Ohio State Names Provost as New President After Predecessor's Abrupt Resignation

Ravi Ballamkonda appointed to lead university after former president Walter 'Ted' Carter Jr. resigned over 'inappropriate relationship'

Mar. 12, 2026 at 1:19pm

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Ohio State University has moved quickly to name its chief academic officer, Ravi Ballamkonda, as the new university president after the abrupt resignation of former president Walter 'Ted' Carter Jr. over the weekend. Carter resigned after disclosing an 'inappropriate relationship' with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business.

Why it matters

The swift appointment of Ballamkonda as the new president comes as Ohio State seeks to move past the controversy surrounding Carter's resignation, which was tied to his relationship with the host of a veterans podcast that received funding from the state's economic development office, JobsOhio.

The details

Ballamkonda, a bioengineer and neuroscientist, joined Ohio State in 2021 after holding leadership roles at several other universities. Less than a week before his resignation, Carter disclosed to the board of trustees that he had 'made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership.' The university is now investigating Carter's relationship with Krisanthe Vlachos, the host of a veterans podcast called 'The Callout' that received $60,000 in funding from JobsOhio.

  • On Sunday, March 9, 2026, the Ohio State board of trustees accepted Carter's resignation.
  • On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the trustees voted to appoint Ballamkonda as the new university president.

The players

Ravi Ballamkonda

The new president of Ohio State University, previously serving as the university's executive vice president and provost. Ballamkonda is a bioengineer and neuroscientist who has held leadership roles at several other universities.

Walter 'Ted' Carter Jr.

The former president of Ohio State University who resigned after disclosing an 'inappropriate relationship' with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business.

Krisanthe Vlachos

The host of a veterans podcast called 'The Callout' that received $60,000 in funding from JobsOhio, the state's privatized economic development office. Vlachos is central to the investigation into Carter's resignation.

JobsOhio

The state's privatized economic development office that provided $60,000 in funding for the veterans podcast 'The Callout,' which is now seeking to claw back that funding.

John Zeiger

The chair of the Ohio State University board of trustees who accepted Carter's resignation.

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What’s next

The university is continuing its investigation into Carter's relationship with Vlachos and the funding provided to her podcast by JobsOhio.

The takeaway

The swift appointment of Ballamkonda as Ohio State's new president signals the university's desire to move past the controversy surrounding Carter's resignation and focus on the institution's academic and research priorities under new leadership.