Index: lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/action/MonitoringAction.java
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/action/MonitoringAction.java,v
diff -u -r1.25.2.11 -r1.25.2.12
--- lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	10 Apr 2017 12:41:55 -0000	1.25.2.11
+++ lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	20 Apr 2017 13:16:04 -0000	1.25.2.12
@@ -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_lamc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/mc/web/McMonitoringAction.java
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/lams_tool_lamc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/mc/web/McMonitoringAction.java,v
diff -u -r1.58.2.8 -r1.58.2.9
--- lams_tool_lamc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/mc/web/McMonitoringAction.java	8 Mar 2017 12:05:20 -0000	1.58.2.8
+++ lams_tool_lamc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/mc/web/McMonitoringAction.java	20 Apr 2017 13:10:51 -0000	1.58.2.9
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@
 	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_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/action/MonitoringAction.java
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/action/MonitoringAction.java,v
diff -u -r1.23.2.4 -r1.23.2.5
--- lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	11 May 2016 07:35:29 -0000	1.23.2.4
+++ lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	20 Apr 2017 13:16:02 -0000	1.23.2.5
@@ -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
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/lams_tool_task/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/taskList/web/action/MonitoringAction.java,v
diff -u -r1.16.2.6 -r1.16.2.7
--- lams_tool_task/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/taskList/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	16 Dec 2016 09:26:39 -0000	1.16.2.6
+++ lams_tool_task/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/taskList/web/action/MonitoringAction.java	20 Apr 2017 13:16:05 -0000	1.16.2.7
@@ -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);