Tony Frank

Tony Frank
Born	Anthony A. Frank Template:Birth year and age
Nationality	American
Occupation	University administrator, veterinarian
Title	Chancellor of the Colorado State University System
Employer	Colorado State University System
Known for	Chancellor of the Colorado State University System; former president of Colorado State University
Education	Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Anthony A. "Tony" Frank (born 1960) is an American university administrator and veterinarian who served as the chancellor of the Colorado State University System from 2015 until his retirement in 2026. Before assuming the chancellor role, Frank served as the president of Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he oversaw a period of significant institutional growth and change, including the construction of an on-campus football stadium. A trained veterinarian by background, Frank rose through the academic and administrative ranks at CSU over the course of several decades, becoming one of the most consequential figures in the university's modern history. His tenure was marked by major capital projects, academic expansion, and debates about the direction of the institution. In December 2025, Frank announced his plans to retire from the chancellorship in June 2026, bringing to a close a career that shaped the trajectory of one of Colorado's largest public university systems.

Career

Rise at Colorado State University

Tony Frank's career at Colorado State University spanned multiple decades and encompassed roles in both academic and administrative capacities. Trained as a veterinarian, Frank held faculty and leadership positions within the university before ascending to its highest administrative offices. His background in veterinary medicine and the agricultural sciences connected him to one of CSU's core institutional identities as a land-grant university with deep roots in agriculture, natural resources, and applied sciences.

Frank eventually rose to the position of president of Colorado State University, the flagship campus of the CSU System located in Fort Collins. In this capacity, he was responsible for overseeing academic programs, research initiatives, campus operations, and the university's public profile. His presidency became associated with a number of significant institutional decisions that shaped the physical and academic landscape of the university.

Presidency of Colorado State University

During his tenure as president of Colorado State University, Frank presided over a period of substantial campus development and institutional growth. Among the most prominent and publicly debated initiatives of his presidency was the push to construct an on-campus football stadium. The stadium project generated significant public attention and campus discussion, becoming one of the defining issues of Frank's time as president. The project represented a major capital investment for the university and was seen as part of a broader effort to elevate the institution's athletic profile and campus experience.

Beyond the stadium, Frank's presidency encompassed a range of decisions across academics, research, student life, and campus infrastructure. The Coloradoan, in a retrospective published upon his retirement announcement, noted that while the stadium push "generated the most buzz," there were "many significant decisions made during his time" at CSU. Frank was a visible presence on campus, engaging with students and the broader university community. He participated in open forums at the Lory Student Center, where he addressed questions from students on university matters.

Chancellor of the Colorado State University System

In 2015, Frank transitioned from the presidency of Colorado State University to the role of chancellor of the Colorado State University System, which oversees multiple institutions including the Fort Collins campus, Colorado State University Pueblo, and other affiliated entities. As chancellor, Frank was responsible for system-wide strategic planning, governance, and coordination among the system's constituent institutions.

Frank's tenure as chancellor continued for over a decade, during which time he navigated the system through various challenges and opportunities facing public higher education in Colorado and nationally. His leadership extended across periods of changing state funding landscapes, enrollment trends, and evolving expectations for public universities.

Retirement Announcement

On December 19, 2025, Frank announced his plans to retire from the chancellorship of the CSU System, with his departure expected in June 2026. The announcement prompted reflections on his career and legacy at the institution, with local media publishing retrospectives on his tenure.

The announcement also initiated a search process for his successor. The CSU System Board of Governors undertook the task of identifying the next chancellor. In February 2026, a faculty organization at Colorado State University publicly criticized the Board of Governors, accusing it of conducting a "closed door" search process for Frank's replacement. The faculty group called for greater transparency and input from the university community in the selection of the next system leader.

Despite these concerns, the Board of Governors proceeded with its process. On February 20, 2026, Rico Munn was formally appointed as the next chancellor of the Colorado State University System following a unanimous vote by the governing board. Munn was selected to succeed Frank in leading the multi-campus system.

Recognition

Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame

In January 2026, it was announced that two educators with decades of leadership at Colorado State University would be among four inductees into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2026. The recognition underscored Frank's longstanding connections to the agricultural sciences and to CSU's identity as a land-grant institution with a mission in agriculture and natural resources. The honor placed Frank among notable figures in Colorado's agricultural community and reflected the significance of his contributions to agricultural education and leadership during his career at CSU.

The Hall of Fame induction was announced shortly after Frank's retirement announcement, adding to the series of acknowledgments marking the end of his career at the university system. The recognition was notable for its emphasis on Frank's role not only as an administrator but as an educator whose career was rooted in the agricultural and veterinary sciences that are central to Colorado State University's academic mission.

Legacy

Tony Frank's legacy at Colorado State University and the broader CSU System is defined by a long tenure that encompassed both the presidency of the flagship campus and the chancellorship of the multi-campus system. Few leaders in CSU's history held both positions, and Frank's combined service in these roles gave him an outsized influence on the direction of the institution over a period spanning more than a decade.

The construction of the on-campus football stadium during his presidency remains one of the most visible and debated elements of his legacy. Supporters viewed the stadium as a transformative investment in the university's competitiveness and campus identity, while critics questioned the financial priorities it represented. Regardless of perspective, the project became a landmark decision in the university's modern history and is closely associated with Frank's leadership.

Frank's career also reflected the broader trajectory of American land-grant universities during a period of significant change. His background as a veterinarian and his ascent through the academic ranks exemplified the tradition of faculty-administrators who rise to institutional leadership grounded in disciplinary expertise. His induction into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame further cemented his association with the agricultural and natural resource mission of Colorado State University.

The transition to his successor, Rico Munn, was not without controversy, as faculty groups raised concerns about the transparency of the search process conducted by the Board of Governors. The debate over the chancellor search reflected broader tensions in higher education governance regarding shared governance and the role of faculty in selecting institutional leaders. These discussions, occurring in the final months of Frank's tenure, became part of the broader narrative surrounding his departure from the CSU System.

Frank's retirement in 2026 marked the end of an era for Colorado State University and its affiliated institutions. His combined years of service as president and chancellor made him one of the longest-serving leaders in the modern history of the CSU System, and his decisions during that period continue to shape the physical campus, institutional direction, and governance structures of the university.