Coffin and Keys is a secret society started by students at the University of Nevada Reno 99 years ago - October 24, 1916 - with "the idea of promoting the common good."
Over the decades, Coffin and Keys has developed a reputation for conducting pranks.
An incident in August, involving former UNR student Hope Loudon has focused attention on Coffin and Keys and its practices.
Loudon told KNPR's State of Nevada, that she was leaving the library at the university when she noticed the group. At first, she just noticed that they were wearing suits, which although odd, didn't trigger fear.
Loudon then noticed they were wearing masks.
"When I saw their faces, I realized I might be in danger," she said.
The men then held something black up to her, which is when she turned back down the stairs she was on and ran for help. The group later told the Reno Gazette-Journal that the item was a flyer for an upcoming event.
Loudon has filed a formal complaint with the university against Coffin and Keys. The avenue she choose for the complaint is under Title Nine, which states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
Loudon believes the issues with Coffin and Keys goes directly to the heart of Title Nine.
"I believe that it represents a tremendous act of insensitivity and profound privilege for them to assume that women and minorities would not be afraid," she said. "I think they quite aware that they impose an intimidating force to women and minorities."
She said past publications from the group has included writings that seem to be homophobic, racists or sexist.
Loudon dismisses that idea that the men in the group are simply exercising their right to free expression.
"I really I don't see that as freedom of speech," she said. "At least, the wearing masks part. To me, that's more like yelling fire in a crowded theater"
She pointed out that the men wouldn't be allowed to walk into a bank, shopping mall or a convenience store wearing the masks, so why a college campus.
Loudon recently wrote about the incident in a blog post at The Huffington Post, and UNR President Marc Johnson referenced the incident in his State of the University Address in September:
“While we all value freedom of expression as a foundation of our society, I want to make clear that words and actions, from groups like Coffin and Keys, that scare and denigrate women, members of the LGBT community, people of color and anyone else to whom they feel superior DO NOT, as they claim, ‘improve the university’. Fortunately, this small group of individuals, do not represent our student body as a whole.”
But a university spokesperson told KNPR's State of Nevada that "shutting it down is not at play here" and that they "have a constitutional right to assembly."
Loudon disagrees with the school's stance.
"I believe action is in order," she said. "The university needs to address them in some way."
Hope Loudon, former student at the University of Nevada/Reno
