Convention there was little discussion of the matter. In 2009 some delegates to that year's convention felt that a definitive statement on the issue of discrimination should be incorporated into the Constitution itself. Phi Sigma Kappa amended its constitution to include the following nondiscrimination clause, largely intended as a formality: "No chapter shall discriminate in recruitment or in membership based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, ethnic background, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, parental status, or political affiliation." Merger Phi Sigma Kappa first discussed mergers at the onset of World War II when most fraternities were in danger of falling apart as students went to war. The issue was not discussed seriously again on a national level for decades. In 1980, a Phi Sigma Kappa Council meeting included the subject of mergers on its agenda. The outcome of the discussion was the conclusion that Phi Sigma Kappa would only participate in a merger if it was the continuing fraternity: Phi Sigma Kappa was open to absorbing a smaller fraternity. In 1984, a chapter of Phi Sigma Epsilon placed a call to the national headquarters of Phi Sigma Kappa to discuss the fact that several Phi Sigma Epsilon chapters were unhappy with the services of their national organization and that they were interested in Phi Sigma Kappa's expansion efforts. These chapters were considering a change in national affiliation which is not possible under rules of the NIC. A call was made between the presidents of both national organizations but a merger was not explored. Later on in the fall of 1984, the two fraternities were placed next to each other at a table during the NIC conference. Discussions commenced and the members at the conference discovered that they had more in common than the first two letters of their respective fraternity's names. Phi Sigma Epsilon's beliefs in justice, wisdom, and honor closely paralleled Phi Sigma Kappa's cardinal principles of brotherhood, scholarship, and character. Phi Sigma Epsilon was in the midst of difficult administrative and financial circumstances and most chapters were in the interior of the contiguous United States. Phi Sigma Kappa, although relatively strong both administratively and financially, was concentrated on the east and west coasts of the country. It was found that both organizations had similar rituals upon the report of a brother of Phi Sigma Epsilon who had become an adviser of a Phi Sigma Kappa