President Carter’s message on the beginning of the spring semester

Happy New Year, Buckeyes!

I’m excited to welcome you to what promises to be an incredible spring semester at The Ohio State University.

Mother Nature may have disrupted our plans to be fully back together in-person today, but after all, adaptability is what being a Buckeye is all about. I want to thank each of you for your flexibility in responding to the winter weather challenges, and especially our many teams who have been working tirelessly to prepare our campus for our safe return.

New beginnings are always meaningful, but this new year is particularly special for Lynda and me, as it was one year ago that we had the privilege of joining the Ohio State family.

What a year it’s been. As a university community, we’ve celebrated so many milestones, like record successes in enrollment, research and health care that are creating true impact for students, our communities and the people we serve.

Most exciting to me is what’s ahead: 2025 will be a historic year for Ohio State.

I’m not just talking about our playoff run, though I can’t wait to cheer on our football team this Friday in Dallas. This is the year that we will put forward a new vision for the future of public higher education.

As I’ve shared before, I think that future is right here at The Ohio State University. I am proud of the early work we’ve done to formulate a plan for our next decade, and I’m energized about the work ahead to put your ideas into actionable strategies that will guide us forward. No doubt, this work will require us to think more boldly and creatively than ever before. We will need to carefully consider our North Star of academic excellence and determine how best to set ourselves apart, make a Buckeye education accessible to every student, and meet the needs of a growing, changing Ohio and world.

I know we’ll be up to the task. With the talent and commitment we have in place, I believe the plan we will develop together will do nothing short of change the conversation around higher education.

Thank you for all you do for Ohio State. Please stay safe and warm, and I look forward to connecting with you again soon.

Ted

Ted Carter, President
The Ohio State University