Glenn William Frank (January 13, 1928 – August 23, 1993) was a geologist and professor at Kent State University.

There had been repeated protests against police and military recruiting on campus, and the Reserve Officers' Training Corps building was burned down on May 2.

The mayor of Kent called in the Ohio Army National Guard, which attempted to disperse students on May 4.

[6] Immediately after the shootings, many angry students were ready to launch an all-out attack on the National Guard.

Faculty members led by Frank pleaded with the students to leave the campus Commons and not to give in to violent escalation: I don't care whether you've never listened to anyone before in your lives.