diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/concerns/directory_utils_concern.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/concerns/directory_utils_concern.rb
index 126be4944..87bdb932e 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/concerns/directory_utils_concern.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/concerns/directory_utils_concern.rb
@@ -39,11 +39,10 @@ def validate_path!
   end
 
   def set_sorting_params(parameters)
-    Rails.logger.debug("Sorting params: #{parameters}")
     @sorting_params = {
-      col: parameters&.[](:col),
-      direction: !parameters&.[](:direction),
-      grouped?: parameters&.[](:grouped?)
+      col: parameters&.[](:col) || DEFAULT_SORTING_PARAMS[:col],
+      direction: !parameters&.[](:direction) || DEFAULT_SORTING_PARAMS[:direction],
+      grouped?: parameters&.[](:grouped?) || DEFAULT_SORTING_PARAMS[:grouped?]
     }
   end
 
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
index 9786a4e66..5cbd8a67f 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ def directory
     parse_path("#{directory_params[:dir_path]}")
     validate_path!
 
-    Rails.logger.debug("Sorting params: #{@sorting_params}")
     set_sorting_params(directory_params[:sorting_params] || DEFAULT_SORTING_PARAMS )
     set_files
     render( partial: 'projects/directory', 
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb
index 5abfe103c..1610b583e 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/helpers/projects_helper.rb
@@ -67,42 +67,26 @@ def project_size
   # end
 
   def column_head_link(column, sorting_params)
-    a = link_to(
+    link_to(
       link_text(column, sorting_params),
       target_path(column, sorting_params),
       title: tool_tip, 
       class: "text-dark",
       data: data_attributes
     )
-
-      Rails.logger.debug("\n\n\n\n\n============== #{column} ===================")
-      Rails.logger.debug("Column head link: #{a}")
-      Rails.logger.debug("========================================\n\n\n\n\n")
-    a
   end
 
   def direction(column, sorting_params)
-    if column.to_s == sorting_params[:col].to_s
-      Rails.logger.debug("\n\n\n\n\n______________--------============-----------______________")
-      Rails.logger.debug("                     COLUMN: #{column}")
-      Rails.logger.debug("                     is #{column.to_s == sorting_params[:col] ? 'EQUAL' : 'NOT EQUAL'} to")
-      Rails.logger.debug("                     SP COL: #{sorting_params[:col]}")
-      Rails.logger.debug("                     RETURNING: descending") if column.to_s == sorting_params[:col].to_s && sorting_params[:direction] == ascending
-
-      Rails.logger.debug("--------------========____________===========--------------\n\n\n\n\n")
-    end
-    if column.to_s == sorting_params[:col].to_s
-      !sorting_params[:direction]
-    end
+    return !sorting_params[:direction] if column.to_s == sorting_params[:col].to_s
     ascending
   end
 
   def link_text(column, sorting_params)
     col_title = t("dashboard.#{column.to_s}")
     if column.to_s == sorting_params[:col]
-      "#{col_title} #{fa_icon( direction(column, sorting_params) == ascending ? 'sort-up' : 'sort-down', classes: 'fa-md')}".html_safe
+      "#{col_title} #{ fa_icon(direction(column, sorting_params) == ascending ? 'sort-up' : 'sort-down', classes: 'fa-md') }".html_safe
     else
-      "#{col_title} #{fa_icon('sort', classes: 'fa-md')}".html_safe
+      "#{col_title} #{ fa_icon('sort', classes: 'fa-md') }".html_safe
     end
   end