of opinion and the council members were lobbied well into the evening. The next day, the final vote was 40 to 39 in favor of the merger. Active chapters more strongly supported the action, with alumni less inclined. The larger chapters voted significantly for the merger. Phi Sigma Epsilon's 31st and last conclave's final vote was the unanimous selection of James Whitfield to sign and implement the merger documents. It was announced that Phi Sigma Kappa had already voted by mail overwhelmingly in favor of the merger, an action that was ratified at its 50th Convention by a unanimous vote, held later that summer on August 14, 1985. With the merger, all Phi Sigma Epsilon alumni were welcomed into equal status in Phi Sigma Kappa. A vigorous plan was set in motion to onboard active chapters of Phi Sigma Epsilon as Phi Sigma Kappa chapters. All living past presidents of Phi Sigma Epsilon were inducted into Phi Sigma Kappa's court of honor. Phi Sigma Epsilon's past president Shannon Flowers became its recorder. James Whitfield and Larry Beck of Phi Sigma Epsilon were placed onto an enlarged grand council as directors, with Phi Sigma Epsilon's Ron Cowan Jr. joining that body in 1987. Scott Hull of Phi Sigma Epsilon was brought on as a fourth leadership consultant on staff. Fred Schwengel, who witnessed the formation of Phi Sigma Epsilon as a national fraternity and wrote its ritual in 1927, agreed to serve as a historian for the combined fraternity and as a trustee of the Phi Sigma Kappa Foundation. Guided by the two men who knew the two rituals best, Schwengel and Fusaro, the Phi Sigma Kappa's Ritual of Association was rewritten to include significant portions of the Phi Sigma Epsilon ritual. The Phi Sigma Epsilon ritual itself was cast into a special lecture added to the ritual book of all chapters for use on particular occasions. Similarly, Phi Sigma Kappa's Cardinal Principals were amended to reflect the ideals of Phi Sigma Epsilon: justice, wisdom, and honor. The fraternity took action over the next several years to assist former Phi Sigma Epsilon chapters in their transition to the revised ritual, operations, and requirements of the greatly enlarged fraternity. The fraternity agreed to honor the badges and words of recognition of both fraternities when presented by visiting alumni. At the 1987 convention, the Phi Sigma Kappa flag and crest were changed to