diff --git a/Model/CoGrouperLite.php b/Model/CoGrouperLite.php
index bc99cb2..de11090 100644
--- a/Model/CoGrouperLite.php
+++ b/Model/CoGrouperLite.php
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ class CoGrouperLite extends CoDashboardWidgetBackend {
     ),
     'defaultCollapse' => array(
       'rule' => array('minLength', 1),
-      'required' => true
+      'required' => false,
+      'default' => 'collapsed'
     ),
   );
 
diff --git a/View/CoGrouperLites/fields.inc b/View/CoGrouperLites/fields.inc
index d886a02..e68374f 100644
--- a/View/CoGrouperLites/fields.inc
+++ b/View/CoGrouperLites/fields.inc
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ print $this->Form->hidden('co_dashboard_widget_id', array('default' => $vv_dwid)
     </li>
 
     <li>
+
         <div class="field-name">
             <div class="field-title">
                 <?php print($e ? $this->Form->label('defaultCollapse', _txt('pl.grouperlite.config.default-collapse')) : _txt('pl.grouperlite.config.default-collapse')); ?>
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ print $this->Form->hidden('co_dashboard_widget_id', array('default' => $vv_dwid)
                     'collapsed' => 'True',
                     'expanded' => 'False'
                 ), array(
-                    'value' => $co_grouper_lites[0]['CoGrouperLite']['defaultCollapse'] === 'expanded',
+                    'value' => $co_grouper_lites[0]['CoGrouperLite']['defaultCollapse'],
                     'legend' => false,
                     'separator' => '&nbsp;&nbsp;'
                 ));
@@ -311,9 +312,9 @@ print $this->Form->hidden('co_dashboard_widget_id', array('default' => $vv_dwid)
         </li>
     <?php endif; ?>
 </ul>
-
+<?php print_r($co_grouper_lites); ?>
 <div id="grouper-plugin" class="pt-2">
     <div class="d-flex align-items-center">
         <h2><?php echo $params['title']; ?></h2>
     </div>
-</div>
+</div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/View/GrouperGroups/groupmember.ctp b/View/GrouperGroups/groupmember.ctp
index 1a98706..70c3d34 100644
--- a/View/GrouperGroups/groupmember.ctp
+++ b/View/GrouperGroups/groupmember.ctp
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ if ($isuserowner !== 'T') {
 
 $numColumns = count($columns);
 
-$collapsed = true;
+$collapsed = $config['defaultCollapse'] === 'collapsed' ? true : false;
+
 ?>
 <?php if (count($groupmemberships) > 0 || count($wgmemberships) > 0) : ?>
     <div class="grouper-table">
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ $collapsed = true;
                 <tr class="table-secondary">
                     <td colspan="<?php echo $numColumns; ?>">
                         <button type="button" class="btn btn-link btn-text collapse-btn <?php echo $collapsed ? 'collapsed' : ''; ?> fw-bold m-0" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".collapse-adhoc-group-parent" role="button" aria-expanded="<?php echo $collapsed ? 'false' : 'true'; ?>">
-                            <?php echo $config->adHocHeading ?? 'Ad-hoc groups'; ?>
+                            <?php echo $config['adHocHeading'] ?? 'Ad-hoc groups'; ?>
                             <i class="fa <?php echo $collapsed ? 'fa-caret-right' : 'fa-caret-down' ?> fa-sm"></i>
                         </button>
                     </td>
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ $collapsed = true;
                 <tr class="table-secondary">
                     <td colspan="<?php echo $numColumns; ?>">
                         <button type="button" class="btn btn-link btn-text <?php echo $collapsed ? 'collapsed' : ''; ?>  collapse-btn fw-bold m-0 work-group-heading-btn" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".collapse-wg-working-group-parent" role="button" aria-expanded="<?php echo $collapsed ? 'false' : 'true'; ?>">
-                            <?php echo $config->wgHeading ?? 'Working groups'; ?>
+                            <?php echo $config['wgHeading'] ?? 'Working groups'; ?>
                             <i class="fa <?php echo $collapsed ? 'fa-caret-right' : 'fa-caret-down' ?> fa-sm"></i>
                         </button>
                     </td>
diff --git a/View/GrouperGroups/groupoptin.ctp b/View/GrouperGroups/groupoptin.ctp
index 217337f..fb9f3bb 100644
--- a/View/GrouperGroups/groupoptin.ctp
+++ b/View/GrouperGroups/groupoptin.ctp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ if ($isuserowner !== 'T') {
 
 $numColumns = count($columns);
 
-$collapsed = $config->defaultCollapse ?? false;
+$collapsed = $config['defaultCollapse'] === 'collapsed' ? true : false;
 
 ?>
 <?php if (count($groupoptins) > 0 || count($wgoptins) > 0) : ?>
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ $collapsed = $config->defaultCollapse ?? false;
         <tr class="table-secondary">
           <td colspan="<?php echo $numColumns; ?>">
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-link btn-text collapse-btn <?php echo $collapsed ? 'collapsed' : ''; ?> fw-bold m-0" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".collapse-adhoc-group-parent" role="button" aria-expanded="<?php echo $collapsed ? 'false' : 'true'; ?>">
-              <?php echo $config->adHocHeading ?? 'Ad-hoc groups'; ?>
+              <?php echo $config['adHocHeading'] ?? 'Ad-hoc groups'; ?>
               <i class="fa <?php echo $collapsed ? 'fa-caret-right' : 'fa-caret-down' ?> fa-sm"></i>
             </button>
           </td>
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ $collapsed = $config->defaultCollapse ?? false;
         <tr class="table-secondary">
           <td colspan="<?php echo $numColumns; ?>">
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-link btn-text collapse-btn <?php echo $collapsed ? 'collapsed' : ''; ?> fw-bold m-0" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".collapse-wg-working-group-parent" role="button" aria-expanded="<?php echo $collapsed ? 'false' : 'true'; ?>">
-              <?php echo $config->wgHeading ?? 'Working groups'; ?>
+              <?php echo $config['wgHeading'] ?? 'Working groups'; ?>
               <i class="fa <?php echo $collapsed ? 'fa-caret-right' : 'fa-caret-down' ?> fa-sm"></i>
             </button>
           </td>
diff --git a/View/GrouperGroups/groupowner.ctp b/View/GrouperGroups/groupowner.ctp
index 3ea0426..3ba78bb 100644
--- a/View/GrouperGroups/groupowner.ctp
+++ b/View/GrouperGroups/groupowner.ctp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ if ($isuserowner !== 'T') {
 
 $numColumns = count($columns);
 
-$collapsed = true;
+$collapsed = $config['defaultCollapse'] === 'collapsed' ? true : false;
 ?>
 <?php if (count($groupsowners) > 0 || count($wgowners) > 0) : ?>
   <div class="grouper-table">
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ $collapsed = true;
         <tr class="table-secondary">
           <td colspan="<?php echo $numColumns; ?>">
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-link btn-text collapse-btn <?php echo $collapsed ? 'collapsed' : ''; ?> fw-bold m-0" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".collapse-adhoc-group-parent" role="button" aria-expanded="<?php echo $collapsed ? 'false' : 'true'; ?>">
-              <?php echo $config->adHocHeading ?? 'Ad-hoc groups'; ?>
+              <?php echo $config['adHocHeading'] ?? 'Ad-hoc groups'; ?>
               <i class="fa <?php echo $collapsed ? 'fa-caret-right' : 'fa-caret-down' ?> fa-sm"></i>
             </button>
           </td>
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ $collapsed = true;
         <tr class="table-secondary">
           <td colspan="<?php echo $numColumns; ?>">
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-link btn-text collapse-btn fw-bold m-0 work-group-heading-btn <?php echo $collapsed ? 'collapsed' : ''; ?>" data-toggle="collapse" data-target=".collapse-wg-working-group-parent" role="button" aria-expanded="<?php echo $collapsed ? 'false' : 'true'; ?>">
-              <?php echo $config->wgHeading ?? 'Working groups'; ?>
+              <?php echo $config['wgHeading'] ?? 'Working groups'; ?>
               <i class="fa <?php echo $collapsed ? 'fa-caret-right' : 'fa-caret-down' ?> fa-sm"></i>
             </button>
           </td>