To ensure editorial objectivity, the journal employs a formal process to avoid conflicts of interest in the handling of submissions. This process applies to both editors and referees.

Editor Assignments
Manuscripts are assigned to editors with no direct personal or professional ties to the authors. A conflict of interest is presumed to exist in the following relationships:
- Current or recent colleagues (within the past five years).
- Recent co-authors (within the past five years).
- Doctoral students for whom the editor served as dissertation chair.

If an assigned editor has a potential conflict not listed above, they must promptly disclose it to the managing editor. In the event that no available editor is without conflict, the manuscript will be assigned to the co-editors with the least significant conflicts.

Referee Assignments
Similarly, manuscripts are sent to referees who are expected to have no conflicting interests. Upon assignment, referees are required to notify the editor of any potential conflicts before proceeding with their review.

This policy is designed to uphold the integrity and impartiality of the editorial process.