Index: lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/action/MonitoringAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r6f2900dc9dd1278ce01e847af62976d62ca66e3b -rac247d60495b2f2bd0a53b4d3b9e33f5ab834c76
--- lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	(.../MonitoringAction.java)	(revision 6f2900dc9dd1278ce01e847af62976d62ca66e3b)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	(.../MonitoringAction.java)	(revision ac247d60495b2f2bd0a53b4d3b9e33f5ab834c76)
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@
 	int rowLimit = WebUtil.readIntParam(request, GradebookConstants.PARAM_ROWS);
 	String sortOrder = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, GradebookConstants.PARAM_SORD);
 	String sortBy = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, GradebookConstants.PARAM_SIDX, true);
-	if (sortBy == "") {
+	if (StringUtils.isEmpty(sortBy)) {
 	    sortBy = "userName";
 	}
 	String searchString = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, "userName", true);
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@
 	int rowLimit = WebUtil.readIntParam(request, GradebookConstants.PARAM_ROWS);
 	String sortOrder = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, GradebookConstants.PARAM_SORD);
 	String sortBy = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, GradebookConstants.PARAM_SIDX, true);
-	if (sortBy == "") {
+	if (StringUtils.isEmpty(sortBy)) {
 	    sortBy = "userName";
 	}
 	String searchString = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, "userName", true);
Index: lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/action/MonitoringAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r2f725f8ef2aa09a2663b2335bf67213074426d11 -rac247d60495b2f2bd0a53b4d3b9e33f5ab834c76
--- lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	(.../MonitoringAction.java)	(revision 2f725f8ef2aa09a2663b2335bf67213074426d11)
+++ lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	(.../MonitoringAction.java)	(revision ac247d60495b2f2bd0a53b4d3b9e33f5ab834c76)
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpSession;
 
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringEscapeUtils;
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.struts.action.Action;
 import org.apache.struts.action.ActionForm;
@@ -149,7 +150,7 @@
 	int rowLimit = WebUtil.readIntParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_ROWS);
 	String sortOrder = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_SORD);
 	String sortBy = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_SIDX, true);
-	if (sortBy == "") {
+	if (StringUtils.isEmpty(sortBy)) {
 	    sortBy = "userName";
 	}
 	String searchString = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, "userName", true);
Index: lams_tool_task/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/taskList/web/action/MonitoringAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r7e8d2e658c8363cb1878c6f9270b5e1f64c3afac -rac247d60495b2f2bd0a53b4d3b9e33f5ab834c76
--- lams_tool_task/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/taskList/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	(.../MonitoringAction.java)	(revision 7e8d2e658c8363cb1878c6f9270b5e1f64c3afac)
+++ lams_tool_task/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/taskList/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	(.../MonitoringAction.java)	(revision ac247d60495b2f2bd0a53b4d3b9e33f5ab834c76)
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpSession;
 
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringEscapeUtils;
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.struts.action.Action;
 import org.apache.struts.action.ActionForm;
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@
 	int rowLimit = WebUtil.readIntParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_ROWS);
 	String sortOrder = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_SORD);
 	String sortBy = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_SIDX, true);
-	if (sortBy == "") {
+	if (StringUtils.isEmpty(sortBy)) {
 	    sortBy = "userName";
 	}
 	String searchString = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, "userName", true);
@@ -287,7 +288,7 @@
 	int rowLimit = WebUtil.readIntParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_ROWS);
 	String sortOrder = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_SORD);
 	String sortBy = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_SIDX, true);
-	if (sortBy == "") {
+	if (StringUtils.isEmpty(sortBy)) {
 	    sortBy = "userName";
 	}
 	String searchString = WebUtil.readStrParam(request, "userName", true);