In an open blog post to the entire university, Oklahoma Wesleyan University President Everett Piper said college students were “self-absorbed and narcissistic."
His post came after multiple university incidents, like the “culturally offensive” Halloween costume debate at Yale University and the student protests about racism on campus at the University of Missouri.
In his blog, Piper wrote "Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims. Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them 'feel bad' about themselves, is a 'hater,' a 'bigot,' an 'oppressor' and a 'victimizer.'''
When TODAY ran a story on the blog post, they also included a poll asking readers, “Are college kids today too self-absorbed?” More than 90 percent said yes.
We asked student and faculty around campus for their thoughts. Are college kids today too self-absorbed?
 Sue Guillaud, French professor A: “I think that is kind of excessive. You can read quotes from Aristotle about how bad the youth was back then too. I think the older generation always has some ideas about the newer generation that aren’t necessarily positive. I think that they are trying to talk about controlling what is taught because we don’t want to offend anybody, and that is difficult. I think that sometimes you have to bump up against differences in order to learn. I think the students should be more open, but I don’t think the teachers should have to walk on eggshells as not to hurt anybody.” Q: Going on into the open letter, the university president said that college students are easily offended and play the victim. Do you see that a lot within college students or do you think that is everyone in general? A: “I think people in general are very touchy these days. We have lost civility in our political process and yet everyone tries to sue everybody else the moment their feelings are hurt. We need to improve our communication skills.” Q: Along with the story, TODAY ran a poll asking if college students are too self absorbed and 92 percent of the readers voted yes. What’s your reaction to that? A: “I don’t know if I am surprised. That could be an outside looking in attitude but if they go back to when they were in college, they didn’t know what was going on in the word either because they were busy with their nose in their books, studying and doing what they needed to do. I don’t think that has changed. I think the question of being offended and whether we need to react to that or not has changed.” |
 Morgan Wysong, sophomore German education major A: “For one, you should never send that kind of message out toward students as a university president, no matter who you think you are. ... I don’t think that we are self absorbed necessarily, I feel like we are more aware of what is wrong with our society and we are trying to make that change.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “Yes, I feel like we definitely can play the victim. We have a tendency of focusing on one issue rather than an overall bigger picture.” Q: What’s your reaction to the poll? A: “I think it is really surprising, but then again I think that people might have the wrong idea of what self absorbed means. Some think that is us being all on our phone or only focusing on ourselves… I think we are at the point where we are focusing on what is around us and not ourselves.” |
 Jaelind Sturdivant, freshman elementary education major A: “I don’t think that college students are self absorbed, but I kind of agree with the sensitivity part of it. But we have the right to be sensitive because we are going through a lot of changes and it’s just a really different time in our lives.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “I feel like a lot of people get easily stressed out about things that are totally in our own control and will just play the victim. It’s like an easier way for people to deal with things.” |
 Carson Keller, sophomore history major A: “To a degree I think this is true. I think that today a lot of college students, my generation in particular, is a little bit more selfish than the previous one. It’s not always a bad thing, but we do tend to get a little more self absorbed. … We do spend more of our time creating personas online and in reality and we try to perfect those constantly. When there is any perceived slight to that person, we immediately take that as a slight to ourselves.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “In some cases, yes. I will admit that I do that all the time and it’s somewhat natural at our age to do so. We are at a transitional period…we are going through a lot of stress, and very difficult things while determining what we want to do for the rest of our lives.” |
 Gabriel Barr, junior creative writing major A: “I don’t it is sensitivity at all. I think it is more compassion and decency. We are becoming more knowledgeable about things so in doing so, you just have to change the way you talk and treat people. I don’t think that should be looked at as sensitivity but being a good person.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “I don’t think that is just a college student thing, it’s a human thing. Every does what they do and reacts to situations in different ways. What we are doing is no different than middle aged people screaming about things like gun violence. I mean, that’s just our right.” |
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Sue Guillaud, French professor A: “I think that is kind of excessive. You can read quotes from Aristotle about how bad the youth was back then too. I think the older generation always has some ideas about the newer generation that aren’t necessarily positive. I think that they are trying to talk about controlling what is taught because we don’t want to offend anybody and that is difficult. I think that sometimes you have to bump up against differences in order to learn. I think the students should be more open but I don’t think the teachers should have to walk on eggshells as not to hurt anybody.” Q: Going on into the open letter, the university president said that college students are easily offended and play the victim. Do you see that a lot within college students or do you think that is everyone in general? A: “I think people in general are very touchy these days. We have lost civility in our political process and yet everyone tries to sue everybody else the moment their feelings are hurt. We need to improve our communication skills.” Q: Along with the story, TODAY ran a poll asking if college students are too self absorbed and 92% of the readers voted yes. What’s your reaction to that? A: “I don’t know if I am surprised. That could be an outside looking in attitude but if they go back to when they were in college, they didn’t know what was going on in the word either because they were busy with their nose in their books, studying and doing what they needed to do. I don’t think that has changed. I think the question of being offended and whether we need to react to that or not, has changed.” Morgan Wysong, sophomore German education major A: “For one, you should never send that kind of message out towards students as a university president, no matter who you think you are. ... I don’t think that we are self absorbed necessarily, I feel like we are more aware of what is wrong with our society and we are trying to make that change.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “Yes, I feel like we definitely can play the victim. We have a tendency of focusing on one issue rather than an overall bigger picture.” Q: What’s your reaction to the poll? A: “I think it is really surprising but then again I think that people might have the wrong idea of what self absorbed means. Some think that is us being all on our phone or only focusing on ourselves… I think we are at the point where we are focusing on what is around us and not ourselves.” Jaelind Sturdivant, freshman elementary education major A: “I don’t think that college students are self absorbed but I kind of agree with the sensitivity part of it. But we have the right to be sensitive because we are going through a lot of changes and it’s just a really different time in our lives.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “I feel like a lot of people get easily stressed out about things that are totally in our own control and will just play the victim. It’s like an easier way for people to deal with things.” Carson Keller, sophomore history major A: “To a degree I think this is true. I think that today a lot of college students, my generation in particular, is a little bit more selfish than the previous one. It’s not always a bad thing but we do tend to get a little more self absorbed. … We do spend more of our time creating personas online and in reality and we try to perfect those constantly and when there is any perceived slight to that person, we immediately take that as a slight to ourselves.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “In some cases, yes. I will admit that I do that all the time and it’s somewhat natural at our age to do so. We are at a transitional period…we are going through a lot of stress, and very difficult things while determining what we want to do for the rest of our lives.” Gabriel Barr, junior creative writing major A: “I don’t it is sensitivity at all. I think it is more compassion and decency. We are becoming more knowledgeable about things so in doing so, you just have to change the way you talk and treat people. I don’t think that should be looked at as sensitivity but being a good person.” Q: Do you believe that college students blow some situations out of proportion and play the victim? A: “I don’t think that is just a college student thing, it’s a human thing. Every does what they do and reacts to situations in different ways. What we are doing is no different than middle aged people screaming about things like gun violence. I mean, that’s just our right.” |
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