Ohio State University released investigation findings detailing how former president Walter Carter Jr. tried to steer university resources toward a woman with whom he had an “inappropriate relationship,” leading to his abrupt resignation in March. The university’s report describes Carter’s attempts to involve staff, pursue employment and workspace arrangements, and seek investment support for the woman’s business and podcast efforts. According to the reporting, multiple employees largely rebuffed Carter’s requests, describing the individual as persistent and creating discomfort through unusual outreach. The investigation also addressed Carter’s entanglement of university leadership with personal efforts connected to donors and outside partners. For higher-ed leaders, the case underscores how governance, compliance, and workplace conduct investigations can rapidly become institutional risk events—especially when senior leadership blurs lines between executive authority and personal relationships.