North Columbus News

The Ohio State University President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. discussed his vision for the university, the value of a college degree, and a robust first-year class at a community forum this week. With the start of a new academic year approaching, Carter shared his perspectives as he enters his seventh month as the 17th president of the university.

“The confidence of the American public in higher education is eroding,” Carter stated. “So I came to Ohio State because I want to be in that conversation. I want to lead that change. I want to lead not only what it means for the state of Ohio and the entire Midwest, and the central Ohio region. What’s it going to be for our nation?”

Carter joined NBC4 morning anchor Matt Barnes for an hour-long conversation hosted by the Columbus Metropolitan Club on Wednesday. The club regularly holds town hall-style forums with community leaders and experts on newsworthy topics.

Addressing access and affordability in higher education, Barnes asked about solutions to make college degrees more affordable for students and their families.

“We are trending in a good direction,” Carter responded. “As you mentioned, if you were paying full fare, even as an in-state student, I acknowledge that’s a lot, but I would also say that the return on that investment even if you were to pay full fare is still well worth it. To graduate from Ohio State with just an undergraduate degree in this era means that you’re going to earn about $1.6 million more over your working lifetime than those who don’t have an undergraduate degree.”

Carter highlighted improvements in financial aid benefits and noted that 58% of Ohio State’s bachelor’s degree graduates leave without student loan debt.

Looking ahead to Aug. 20, when Ohio State's new academic year begins, Carter expressed optimism about the incoming first-year students' potential. He reported receiving 80,000 applications, including 40,000 from in-state students – contrary to national trends of declining enrollment.

“Our prediction right now... we think that we may be the largest incoming freshman class at our Columbus campus combined with our regional campuses since 1870,” he said.

In fall, Carter plans to elaborate on his strategic mission during his investiture but provided some insight into his approach: “I’ve been in listen-and-learn mode for most of my first six or seven months. We’re now getting into action mode," he said.

Carter emphasized strategic investments aimed at improving existing programs: "At the end... we’ll redefine what the future of higher ed in this country will mean – and that’s the goal."