The Staff Ombuds Office is neutral, impartial, and unaligned in the handling of conflicts, disputes or issues. In practice, this means that the ombudsperson will not take sides in a conflict or dispute, nor will the ombudsperson favor one person over another. The ombudsperson does not have the authority to order anyone to do or not do anything; nor does the ombudsperson judge, discipline, or reward anyone. The ombudspersons have no personal stake in the outcome of any situation. The Staff Ombuds Office is obligated to responsibly consider all the legitimate concerns and interests of all individuals affected by the matter under discussion.