The next is the transcript of an interview with Ted Carter, The Ohio State College president, that aired on “Face the Country with Margaret Brennan” on July 27, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We move now to Columbus, Ohio and the president of The Ohio State College, Ted Carter. President Carter, welcome to ‘Face The Country.’
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT TED CARTER: Margaret, excellent to be with you in this Sunday from Columbus, Ohio.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I sought after to invite you very immediately about those Trump management claims that Ohio State is one in every of 60 universities that they deemed can have antisemitic practices and insurance policies on campus. They are saying you are being investigated for them and for failing to finish variety insurance policies, which is usually a violation of the Civil Rights Act. What is the standing of the probes? And what sort of power are you beneath?
CARTER: To be reasonably frank, I am not feeling a large number of power. Our figuring out is we are on the ones lists as a result of we have been prior to now on the ones lists beneath the Biden management. We have been running with the Place of job of Civil Rights all through that management, and I believe most commonly that was once a holdover. We’re very happy to speak to any one from the Place of job of Civil Rights. We stand in the back of our movements. We understand how we acted all through the time of the protests. We by no means had an encampment right here at Ohio State. We had some tried we did not permit that, and that’s the reason our long-standing laws at the Oval, which is the center-piece of our campus. So I am assured that as this performs out ahead, that we are going to be simply nice.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Trump management did post Ohio State at the checklist of universities it is probing, and whilst you have a look at one of the vital problems they have raised at different puts, you have a look at the results of freezing $3 billion in contracts at Harvard, 1 billion at Cornell, loads of tens of millions of greenbacks of analysis investment at universities like Brown. Are you nervous that your federal finances might be in jeopardy as a result of this?
CARTER: Smartly, like I all the time say to my body of workers and my folks, if we do the proper issues for the proper causes, the whole thing will play out. And we have been doing it that manner since I have been right here since one. January of 2024. Our analysis investment right here at Ohio State has grown leaps and limits during the last couple years. We are if truth be told ranked quantity 11 within the nation, forward of Harvard, forward of UNC Chapel Hill. Our revenues final yr have been $1.6 billion, 775 million of that got here from the government, in large part in NIH and NSF. As we sit down right here immediately, we have had a little research grants impacted, however within the tens of tens of millions of greenbacks, not anything like you are seeing at our Ivy League colleagues, and a large number of this is nonetheless in litigation. So I will’t even inform you what the selection of bucks that we would possibly lose, however towards the $1.6 billion it is beautiful small, even if it is had some have an effect on on a few of our researchers. In contrast to a few of our opposite numbers, we now have a vital analysis arm right here, 14,000 college, put up document college students, that do the analysis right here. And it’s vital. It is going manner past the numbers and the bucks. It is what it is what it is doing for the group, what it is doing to increase and save and alter lives, and what it is doing in agriculture, what it is doing for our police power. So what I’d inform you is, at this second today- even in comparison to the place we have been final yr, we are nonetheless up in our analysis income about 7% from the place we have been final yr, and we’re- we’re- we are continuing to invite for extra grants in order that we will be able to be a most cancers loose global right here in our lifetime.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Smartly, all of us hope for that long term, sir, however you sound to not be involved. However I did learn that previous whilst you had the buckeyes soccer workforce on the White Space previous within the year- and that was once smartly lined, the Wall Boulevard Magazine mentioned you instructed President Trump and Vice President Vance that quote, Ohio State isn’t the enemy. Why did you are feeling you needed to say that? What did you imply?
CARTER: Smartly, that would possibly had been taken just a little bit out of context. I more or less mentioned that during jest, just a little bit to the vice chairman once I had a possibility to fulfill with him, and we had a protracted dialog. It was once an excessively productive dialog. I would possibly not move into all of the main points, however the level is, they know that Ohio State is doing the proper issues for the proper causes. I’ve mentioned publicly that I imagine the way forward for upper schooling goes to head during the huge public land grant flagship establishments just like the Ohio State College, I have a look at what we are doing immediately, and sure, like many different universities, there may be a large number of fear in regards to the long term, what is popping out of the government, even what is popping out of our state executive right here in Ohio. However presently, I think like we will be able to nonetheless play protection, nonetheless know how to regulate, more or less ensure that we are getting our bat at the ball, to be able to discuss, in enjoying protection and protective the plate, however we are additionally taking a look at how we will be able to play offense. It is a time the place establishments like Ohio State, we’re very financially safe. We are if truth be told taking a look to put money into ourselves. I simply mirror at the commencement rite that we simply had this previous Would possibly. We produce about 18,000 In graduates a yr. However at that rite, we graduated 12,400- they all, through the best way, were given their degree that day that they earned. And 90% of the ones students- 90% already had a task or they have been going to some other upper educational undertaking. And 70% of the ones undergraduate college students are staying within the state of Ohio. 66% of the PhD and masters are staying within the state of Ohio. It is a glorious team of workers building program. That’s what is elevating the boldness of Ohioans and the American public in upper schooling, and that’s beginning to alternate.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Vice President Vance was once in this program a variety of times- and one in every of them when he was once nonetheless a senator. I spoke to him about his perspectives on upper schooling. He is an Ohio State alum, undergrad, and he mentioned he believes universities- he wasn’t talking of yours, however he mentioned universities are ‘managed through left wing foundations,’ and they are going within the incorrect path. Do you assume he has some degree?
CARTER: I believe upper schooling has began to construct that popularity. And you’ll even see that within the Gallup-Lumina polls. You understand, I used to be the superintendent of the Naval Academy from 2014 to 2019 , and that Gallup ballot in 2015 mentioned that just about 60% of American citizens had prime self assurance in post-secondary schooling. Now move forward and simply transfer that needle 9 years ahead, and but, two in 3 American citizens mentioned they didn’t trust in upper schooling. That is a in point of fact unhealthy mark. American citizens have been announcing upper schooling prices an excessive amount of. They have been announcing that the go back on funding was once tricky to turn out. They even have been announcing one of the vital analysis being carried out would possibly not have an effect on them or their households. And sure, there was once this dialog in regards to the possible indoctrination of scholars, or that establishments have been leaning very liberal. You understand, we as directors of upper schooling perhaps ought to hear the American public and say, perhaps we’ve not all the time gotten it proper. So I am right here to mention, right here on the Ohio State College, we now have paid consideration to that. We’re making efforts to make affordability a key factor for college kids. I discussed that graduating elegance, 57% of the ones undergraduates left with 0 debt. 0 debt. And the opposite 43% that left with debt was once lower than $24,000. And as we glance throughout our hiring practices, I’ve 8,500 college. It’s the most productive staff of school I’ve ever labored with in my 12 years of main in upper and that’s the reason announcing reasonably just a little. I can inform you that as we rent the long run, we are taking a look throughout all of the political spectrum for who we rent.
MARGARET BRENNAN: On that time, you mentioned what came about on the state stage. The Republican managed state legislature handed a legislation that removes the variety techniques, it does a variety of issues. But it surely additionally calls for professors to put up their route syllabus- syllabi on-line and their touch data. Do you assume that that is supposed to intimidate? Are you involved? Is your college thinking about the point of interest on what they are doing?
CARTER: Sure, I’ve talked to our school thru our school senate and our management. There are some considerations, after all, as a result of we have now not carried out that sooner than. We have now were given a while sooner than we enforce that. We now have put all of the items of Senate Invoice 1 which is the Basic Meeting’s invoice right here within the state of Ohio, into the implementation section. We are nonetheless running thru one of the vital main points, however let me inform you the rules of educational freedom, what’s taught in the school room, the transfer in opposition to scholarly pursuit, the analysis that we do right here at Ohio State, the ones are issues that we’re nonetheless very enthusiastic about, and I do know that we are going to proceed that paintings, and but we will nonetheless apply the legislation. We’re going to nonetheless apply one of the vital federal insurance policies which might be popping out. We are in a position and ready to do all of that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: To that time, you noticed what Columbia College did this week in paying the $200 million nice to settle their dispute with the Trump management, additionally they agreed to an outdoor track to guarantee the college complies with stamping out variety techniques. Does this precedent bother you? I mean- would you are taking a deal like that?
CARTER: Smartly, I will’t discuss to these establishments as a result of I am not main them. I do know each President Shipman and one of the vital different Ivy League presidents are colleagues, and they are having to do I believe what I’d name be in survival mode. Moderately frankly, we are not going thru any of that right here at Ohio State, and nor do I believe that we will be able to. I imply, clearly we now have a brand new state legislation. We are a public establishment, in order that method we are going to be clear and put out the whole thing that we achieve this the state of Ohio, the folk and all of the nation can see it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We can watch to peer what occurs. Excellent good fortune to you, sir. We’re going to be proper again.
