The last Ohio State University Board of Trustees meeting Ted Carter attended was in August on the day he was formally announced as the university’s 17th president.

That was six months ago to the day, Carter remarked during his first board meeting as president at Thursday afternoon’s public meeting.

“It was a day I will never forget,” he told trustees at the Longaberger Alumni House.

It’s certainly been a busy introduction. Carter attended 58 public engagements across campus, Ohio and the country in January alone. He sang “Carmen Ohio” for the first time with students at the Ohio Union last month. And he’s held a number of listening sessions with students, faculty, staff and community members.

“I’m listening and learning,” Carter said, “and I remain committed to earning the trust of Buckeyes.”

Carter said one reason he’s felt at home at Ohio State is that the university’s “commitment to service parallels my own.”

“I feel the passion people have for this university,” he said.

Carter touted the State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience (SOAR) study, a statewide look into the root causes of mental illness and addiction. The team will be housed at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine, but work in collaboration with other Ohio universities and hospitals.

Highlighting the groundbreaking of the Multispecies Animal Learning Center at OSU’s Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, Carter noted that, like his last home in Nebraska where he was president of that state’s university system, “agriculture is a top important industry in Ohio.”

Carter also mentioned two hires approved by the board this week.

Ross Bjork was officially hired to be Ohio State’s next athletic director. He will succeed Gene Smith on July 1.

Katie Hall was also announced as Ohio State’s new senior vice president for talent, culture and human resources. Hall has worked at Ohio State for 24 years and held the interim VP role for 10 months.

In addition to the two hires Carter mentioned, the trustees also appointed Camille Hebert as acting dean of the Moritz College of Law beginning June 30.

Carter said the search for Ohio State’s next provost “remains a significant role for us.”

Trustees in the Talent, Compensation and Governance committee Wednesday approved amending the university’s bylaws to make the provost “the chief academic officer of the university” rather than chief operating officer.

“The critical role of being provost is focused on academic responsibilities,” said Trustee John Zeiger, who added that the change was made as Carter “figures out how he wants to structure things.”

Carter said he remains humble and excited to be a Buckeye, and looks forward to planning for the future of Ohio State.

“It is one of the greatest honors of my life,” he said.

Trustees met for committee meetings Wednesday and Thursday, culminating in a full public board meeting Thursday afternoon.

In action this week, the board:

Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Sign up for Extra Credit, her education newsletter, here.

shendrix@dispatch.com

@sheridan120

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Here’s what OSU President Ted Carter said at his first trustee meeting