News | CSU System

Tony Frank: On the price tag

May 23, 2024 Tony Frank

This week and next, our flagship campus will start sending out financial aid awards to returning students. This is happening later than usual at CSU and every other campus because of the revamping of the federal FAFSA forms – and we know that students and families are anxious to learn what kind of support they’ll receive in paying next year’s college costs.

Aerial view of the CSU Spur campus with downtown Denver in the background.

Administrative management of Spur shifts to CSU campus

May 3, 2024 Board of Governors CSU Spur

The CSU System Board of Governors has voted to transfer operational oversight of CSU Spur from the CSU System Office to the flagship campus in Fort Collins, with continued funding by the CSU System. The administrative shift will have minimal impact on Spur’s core mission and day-to-day operations. It also will not impact salaries and reporting lines for Spur staff.

CSU System Board approves budget and tuition

May 2, 2024 Board of Governors

The Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System approved budgets for its campuses this week that keep tuition levels low and maintain each institution’s strong value proposition and positive trajectory. CSU System leadership thanked state legislators, particularly the Joint Budget Committee, for providing continued support to Colorado’s public higher education system.

Tony Frank: On time

April 25, 2024 Tony Frank

I’ve been thinking lately about time, and how we spend it. There are 8,760 hours in a year. By some estimates, the average lifespan for a person in the US is around 76 years, or 665,760 hours. Of course, many of us won’t make it to 76, and others live much longer.

Wiz Kid walks down a flight of stairs while being filmed.

The Denver Post: CSU’s “Wiz Kid” brings children’s educational programming to YouTube with Bill-Nye-meets-Taylor-Swift energy

April 24, 2024 CSU Spur Wiz Kid

CSU this month launched a new YouTube series, Wiz Kid, based out of the Spur campus near the National Western Complex. In the series, Wiz Kid explores the free, interactive educational center and questions in-house experts and researchers on kid-friendly topics.

From at-home chemistry to wildflower seed spheres, 6 new Wiz Kid videos showcase the wonders of science at CSU Spur

April 4, 2024 CSU Spur

Wiz Kid, in addition to being a fan of bedazzled lab coats and colorful bandanas, is the host of six new YouTube videos aimed at connecting kids – and the young at heart – with the wonders of science. These episodes dropped on April 4 and feature a variety of at-home science experiments and activities for everyone, furthering CSU Spur’s mission to break down barriers and provide inclusive, accessible education for future generations.

Tony Frank: On National Agriculture Day

March 21, 2024 Tony Frank

For more than 50 years in the United States we’ve designated March 19 as National Agriculture Day. It’s one of those “holidays” that most people don’t realize exists, which is why I want to draw some attention to it and why it matters.

A taste for food innovation

February 26, 2024 CSU Spur

Twelve full-time students started the Agribusiness and Food Innovation Management masters program in the fall of 2023, taking classes on food innovation, marketing, and accounting on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights.

Tony Frank: On preserving what others have built

February 23, 2024 Tony Frank

In early January, I had a chance to speak before the Joint Budget Committee of the Colorado General Assembly. This was the 16th year I’ve had the privilege of joining my fellow higher-education CEOs to share thoughts on the state of Colorado higher education and our hopes for the future with these state legislators, as they figure out how to structure the state’s budget for the coming year.

Apply now: A behind-the-scenes trip to Capitol Hill this summer

February 9, 2024

Applications are now open for civic and business leaders to join a Colorado delegation visiting Washington, D.C., to meet informally with federal lawmakers June 11-13. The bipartisan conference will be made up of 100 Coloradans, who will have an opportunity to hear from and interact with our nation’s leaders from both sides of the aisle in an informal setting.

Group photo in front of block letters that spell out Todos Santos.

Spanish immersion program inspires understanding of more than language

February 6, 2024 CSU Todos Santos

Since 2019, the CSU Todos Santos Center in Baja California Sur, Mexico, has hosted an innovative Spanish and culture immersion program. Available to CSU staff, faculty, friends, family and the public, the Spanish and Culture Immersion has seen more than 150 participants from around the globe — from Fort Collins to Canada — all in the interest of fostering a deep connection between language and culture.

CSU System receives federal grant for a system-wide student success initiative

January 25, 2024

The CSU System has been awarded a USDE grant for nearly $8 million to coordinate and enhance student success efforts across the System. The multi-year initiative will centralize the collection and analysis of student data while creating a system-wide advising network and expanding use of a powerful learning platform, developed at CSU in Fort Collins, to CSU Pueblo and CSU Global.

Tony Frank: On “The Why”

January 18, 2024 Tony Frank

On opening weekend alone, more than 107,000 people ventured to the National Western Center for the National Western Stock Show. tIt was also our opportunity at the CSU System to celebrate the first full year of operation for our CSU Spur campus, where we’re showcasing learning and discovery around food, water, and health all year long in our Terra, Vida, and Hydro buildings.

A campus for Colorado: How CSU Spur serves the state

January 3, 2024 CSU Spur

CSU Spur is at the heart of the National Western Center, with a focus on agriculture that includes innovation in research and entrepreneurship.

History Colorado: Q&A with Tony Frank

December 29, 2023 Tony Frank

As Chancellor of the CSU System, Tony Frank is taking a statewide view of the land-grant college’s mission, and planning for the next century of Colorado history.

Tony Frank: On holiday reflections

December 21, 2023 Tony Frank

Perhaps it’s the stage I’ve reached in my career (or in my life), but I find myself tending toward reflection as each year ends. The greatest gift with which each of us is entrusted is our time. Did I use it well this year? Where do I need to apply a greater sense of urgency next year?

Man in a blue suit with a CSU Pueblo lapel pin stands at a podium.

Armando Valdez named 16th president of CSU Pueblo

December 15, 2023 Board of Governors CSU Pueblo

The Colorado State University System Board of Governors today unanimously confirmed Armando Valdez as the 16th president of Colorado State University Pueblo – the CSU System’s regionally serving campus located in Pueblo – effective Feb. 1, 2024.

A man stands near a building and looks off-screen.

Armando Valdez shares insights about CSU Pueblo in a Q&A

December 7, 2023 Board of Governors

Armando Valdez, a lifetime resident of Southern Colorado with a long career in academics, was named on Nov. 30 as the sole finalist for the CSU Pueblo presidency. After a legislatively mandated waiting period of two weeks, the Board of Governors of the CSU System will consider formalizing the appointment at a special meeting on Dec. 15.

Armando Valdez named sole finalist for CSU Pueblo presidency

November 30, 2023 Board of Governors

The Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System on Thursday named Armando Valdez as the sole finalist for the CSU Pueblo presidency. Valdez will finish out the 2.5 years remaining on the term of outgoing President Timothy Mottet, who announced his intention earlier this year to resign on Dec. 31, 2023.

Tony Frank: On our food future

November 16, 2023 Tony Frank

Growing up on a farm that raised primarily beef, dairy, and hogs, Thanksgiving was the special holiday when we went to a local farm and purchased a turkey (this was in the days before pardoning turkeys came into vogue).

A crowd seated in bleachers watches a speaker on stage.

2023 Water in the West Symposium photos: Purpose & policy for a ‘secure water future’

November 15, 2023 CSU Spur Water in the West

More than 200 attendees attended the 6th Annual CSU Spur Water in the West symposium, which took place Nov 8-9. The event was held at CSU Spur’s Hydro building.

Colorado hosts global meeting on building the next generation of leaders in agriculture

November 8, 2023 NAAAN

Close to 200 agricultural leaders and global experts in extension and rural advisory services gathered in Denver in October for the 14th Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) Annual Meeting, sharing ideas and exploring strategies for producing the next generation of agricultural leaders.

2nd Saturdays at CSU Spur offer fun, fascination, and a chance at discovery

November 6, 2023 CSU Spur

Mark your calendars for 2nd Saturdays at CSU Spur each month, when fascinating, fun, and free entertainment awaits you and your family, whether that involves playing musical instruments, tasting and rating varieties of green chile, or even grooming stuffed animals while the real thing is undergoing surgery a few yards away.

Water in the West panel will explore outdoor industry’s future

November 1, 2023 CSU Spur Water in the West

Three panelists will address water and the state’s outdoor industry at this year’s CSU Spur Water in the West Symposium. The theme of the day-long event is “Next Gen Water: From AI to Gen Z.” Keynotes and other panels will focus on agriculture, AI and machine learning, indigenous and tribal water, the next gen workforce, and other topics.

Tony Frank: On standing on the eve of war

October 20, 2023 Tony Frank

Human words, no matter how well constructed, fail us in trying to capture the complexity of emotion released by the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.

Tony Frank and Shirley Collado: On a new model for supporting and inspiring first-generation students

October 19, 2023 Tony Frank

Across America’s college and universities, first-generation students make up more than 40% of each entering class, and yet they face a range of obstacles that make them less likely to graduate.

Water in the West Symposium examines ‘next gen’ solutions to region’s water challenges

October 16, 2023 CSU Spur

The 6th Annual CSU Spur Water in the West Symposium, occurring Nov. 9 in Denver, will bring participants together to explore artificial intelligence, demographic trends, and other factors that will be critical in addressing the region’s water challenges and crafting responses within agriculture, the outdoor industry, and other sectors.

Salazar Center welcomes new executive director, Leslie Harroun

October 11, 2023 Salazar Center

Leslie Harroun, a philanthropic leader with more than three decades of domestic and international experience, is the new executive director of the Salazar Center for North American Conservation.

People interact with a stream table full of sand.

A gateway to life-changing education

October 11, 2023 CSU Spur

The informal and sometimes serendipitous leaning that occurs at CSU Spur on 2nd Saturdays or during week-day visits falls on an educational spectrum that extends from school programs and adult learning to professional development and degree options.

CSU campuses report increased total enrollment for 2023

October 5, 2023

Colorado State University in Fort Collins welcomed one of its largest classes ever this fall and also saw record enrollment of diverse students. At CSU Pueblo, increases in new freshmen and a big jump in graduate students drove an overall enrollment increase over Fall 2022. CSU President Amy Parsons and CSU Pueblo President Timothy Mottet presented their preliminary enrollment updates for Fall 2023 at the CSU System Board of Governors meeting on Thursday. Both campuses saw increases in diverse and first generation students this fall, reflecting CSU’s long-standing commitment to making education affordable and accessible. “Our System has a unique ...

Denver Startup Week welcomes CSU to the stage

September 28, 2023 CSU Spur

Colorado bills itself as the epicenter of entrepreneurship and innovation, and the three CSU Spur buildings in the heart of the National Western Center in Denver illustrate how one university is looking to retain its original mission while preparing for the future.

Two people in a podcast studio wearing headphones.

Boettcher Foundation: Tony Frank: Everyone deserves your best [PODCAST]

September 23, 2023 Tony Frank

Hear Tony’s insights on his childhood, career, and the pivotal lessons he learned from his dad and Abraham Lincoln. Tony discusses the challenges and triumphs of higher education, the value it brings, and his vision for the next 10 years.

Tony Frank: On rivalry

September 21, 2023 Tony Frank

This month marked the return of what is arguably Colorado’s greatest college rivalry: the Rocky Mountain Showdown between our state’s largest public research universities, Colorado State and the University of Colorado. While football is clearly in the spotlight around the Showdown, it gives us a chance to celebrate all CU and CSU have to offer our great state year-round. It’s also an opportunity to showcase Colorado’s rich higher education ecosystem overall, which offers affordable, accessible opportunities for anyone who wants to improve their lives through learning. And even though our students compete on the field, CSU and CU are united ...

Split screen with the CSU Fort Collins campus on the left and the CU Boulder campus on the right.

Partners in advancing Colorado

September 13, 2023

For more than a century and a half, the state’s flagship universities have been educating Coloradans, preparing a highly skilled workforce, fostering the discovery and innovation that improves quality of life, and serving as catalysts that drive the economy and keep Colorado competitive.

CSU System first in the state to waive undergraduate application fees for all Coloradans

August 30, 2023

Application fees are a thing of the past for Colorado residents seeking admission to undergraduate programs at the CSU System’s three campuses: CSU in Fort Collins, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global.

The Greeley Tribune: Tony Frank & Kathay Rennels: 4-H, community shine at Colorado State Fair (Opinion)

August 26, 2023 Tony Frank

In biblical times, cities were located far apart without the transportation systems we enjoy today. So, when people gathered for large religious events, there were also frequently large commercial gatherings focused on trading goods. This is where the tradition of community fairs began.

Almost half of Colorado households have incomes of less than $75,000. Housing policy must not forget them.

August 18, 2023 Colorado Futures Center

The Colorado Futures Center recently released Housing Affordability Update: Focusing on Where the Need is Greatest. This update, funded by the Colorado Health Foundation, refreshes the Center’s pre-pandemic work exploring factors affecting affordability in Colorado. With an expanded focus on the housing economy, this research finds that even as the housing markets statewide are normalizing after COVID, the almost half of Colorado households earning $75,000 or less remain significantly, and increasingly, housing cost burdened. Most housing analysts consider a housing market healthy when vacancy rates hover around 5%, allowing for the necessary inventory and churn to accommodate movers and entrants into ...

Tony Frank: On county fairs

July 26, 2023 Tony Frank

If two years of lockdown from the COVID pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we love to be together, to gather in community, to celebrate our history and our traditions. And that’s about to happen across Colorado as we head into county fair season.

Three panel image showing the Fort Collins Oval, the Pueblo wolf statue, and woman on a laptop.

Greater than the sum of its parts

July 24, 2023

The CSU System has released its 2023 Impact Report highlighting achievements across the System’s three degree-granting campuses and exploring systemwide initiatives and activities that benefit the state, the region, and the world.

National award highlights CSU’s leadership in sustainability, innovations at CSU Spur

July 17, 2023 CSU Spur

CSU Spur, fully open since January, is being held up as a national model of sustainability and innovation in higher education. CSU President Amy Parsons accepted a 2023 Excellence in Sustainability Award at the annual meeting of the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

MOVEit software cyberattack notification

July 12, 2023

I am writing to inform you of a cyberattack against third-party organizations that have a relationship with many corporations and institutions of higher education across the country, including the Colorado State University System, which potentially has resulted in unauthorized access of personal information of some members of our community. No systems operated or maintained by the CSU System or the CSU campuses were breached.

A group of people cut a blue and green ribbon in front of a door.

CSU Spur becomes home to startup business in agriculture

July 11, 2023 CSU Spur

Agricultural start-up AEMS Corp is now operating out of CSU Spur – becoming the first industry partner to lease wet lab space through the CSU Spur Agricultural Innovation Center.

A group of kids in matching shirts gather around a speaker in a greenhouse.

Higher Education Today: Reimagining higher education: a new campus in Colorado, open to everyone

July 6, 2023 CSU Spur Tony Frank

The fact that Colorado is among the top states in the country in the percentage of adults who have completed at least a bachelor’s degree is a great bragging point for educators and boosters of our communities. But it’s also misleading.

CSU System statement on Supreme Court Affirmative Action decision

June 29, 2023

The United States Supreme Court has issued a decision regarding the use of race in the college admission process. The Colorado State University System, including CSU Fort Collins, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global, is reviewing our various admission processes with the assistance of legal counsel to ensure we are in compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision. The CSU System remains steadfastly committed to serving the state of Colorado and the needs of the world through educating a diverse student body. We believe – and research demonstrates – that enrolling students with a broad range of experiences, skills, perspectives and identities ...

A group gathers around a speaker in a greenhouse with a table of plants in the foreground.