Sometimes, you may feel the need to lament the lack of super cool secret societies on your college campus. I get it. I used to feel the exact same way. When you look up the Skull and Bones Society, you may only find search listings for the one at Yale University. Those Ivy Leagues have everything, am I right? But did you know that the University of Utah has a chapter as well? That’s right, everyone. You do not have to attend an Ivy League college to sit in classes with the secret society members who walk among us.
The first society was formed at Yale University in 1832 as a result of some beef between debate teams. But in 1909, a Yale alumni formed the University of Utah’s society, beef-free. Its members, called Bonesmen, are “tapped” to join the organization in the spring every year. Despite the name, it is worth noting that the society is not limited to male students only, they have allowed women in the organization since 1991. Initially, only graduating seniors were tapped for initiation, but it has been expanded to include a few heavily vetted juniors as well, to allow for a smoother leadership transition.
Those are just the mechanics though, so what does the Skull and Bones Society actually do? They seem to have insiders in every corner of the University of Utah’s governmental systems, such as ASUU. They work tirelessly to address students’ concerns regarding their well-being on campus and the way that the university is run. Think of them as carrying out vigilante justice, like a less notorious Batman.
In the past, Bonesmen have been more free with their identities, but more recently their anonymity has been stricter. Even their Facebook page’s content is blocked to the public. It’s been said that this anonymity keeps their members from getting a big head about their membership and also allows them to better address students’ concerns.
You could be sitting in the same room as a Bonesman right now without even knowing it. Bonesmen have gone on to basically rule the world, becoming presidents (the Bushes were alumni of the Skull and Bones), CEOs, senators, you name it.
So keep an eye out this spring. You could be the next one getting tapped.