The Ohio State University Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Ravi Bellamkonda to be the next president of Ohio State University, less than one week after former President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. resigned.
Bellamkonda, formerly the university's provost and executive vice president, will take the reins immediately at Ohio's largest public university. Carter resigned on Saturday after disclosing what the university called an "inappropriate" relationship with a podcaster, giving the woman access to public resources to further her own business interests.
University leaders bypassed a prolonged search for a new president nor did they appoint an interim president — which has been done in the past, including when former President Kristina Johnson resigned.
Bellamkonda is a bioengineer and neuroscientist. He came to Ohio State from Emory University in Atlanta, where he served as provost and vice president for academic affairs.
Bellamkonda told the crowd gathered at the Longaberger Alumni House that Ohio State should pursue excellence in all fields, including academics, research and athletics.
"It matters because the best scholars in the world are in our classrooms teaching our undergraduate, graduate and professional students. It matters, because our entrepreneurial mindset and relentless pursuit of excellence has the power to transform the world starting right here in Ohio," Bellamkonda said.
He said he has a lot to learn since he's only been at Ohio State for about 400 days.
"What I do know confidently is this. We know how to win. And each of us at Ohio State, in this room and across our beautiful state, have the agency to create the Ohio State we want to inhabit," Bellamkonda said.
Before his time at Emory, Bellamkonda was the dean at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering and was a professor and chair of the department of biomedical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University.
He received a National Institutes of Health Director’s Transformative Research Award in 2021 for his work designing a “tractor beam” to treat pediatric brain tumors.
Ohio State's Board of Trustees Chair John Zeiger said the board was surprised, deeply disappointed and saddened to learn about what happened with Carter. He said they were distressed to consider its consequences for the university, but still thanked Carter for his service.
Zeiger said Bellamkonda was an obvious choice, but didn't explain why the board didn't conduct a more thorough search.
"Since joining Ohio State 14 months ago as our provost and chief academic leader, Ravi has impressed all of us with his commitment to this university and its people, and with his vision, energy and collegial spirit," Zeiger said.
Graduate Student Trustee Kendall Buchan was among the members who praised Bellamkonda. She said students have been impressed with his work so far at the university.
"To say that this week has been a lot is an understatement. But I think we're ending on a really high note. I've been so impressed," Buchan said.
The American Association of University Professors sent a statement to WOSU ahead of Bellamkonda's appointment. The group criticized the university for moving through Bellamkonda's appointment without consulting students, faculty and staff.
"Ohio State’s system of shared governance - not to mention best practices in hiring university presidents - requires all of us having a say in the process. This hasty, undemocratic process starts this presidency on the wrong footing and sends the wrong message about our supposed shared values," the statement said.
The AAUP criticized Ohio State under Carter's leadership, including the arrest of dozens of student protestors and what it calls "a chilling of free speech, allegations of covering up abuse, and now corruption."
The group said Ohio State shouldn't risk more public mistrust when the university is already constantly in the news for "the wrong reasons."
"If the new president wants to win the trust of the community, he should take immediate action to show that he represents a new era - repeal Ted Carter’s anti-free speech policies, listen to abuse survivors, and commit to greater transparency and authentic shared governance going forward," the statement said.
University Student Government President Jessica Asante-Tutu congratulated Bellamkonda in a statement sent to WOSU.
"Taking on this leadership role is no easy feat, but we are excited to see how he'll continue to show up for students. As USG and the university evolve, we hope to continue to work in collaboration with one another to ensure the student experience is well-rounded and the student voice is amplified. We wish him and his cabinet all the best," Asante-Tutu said.
