Alanna Gillis, PhD
@alannagillis.bsky.social
Sociologist studying inequality in higher education, Asst Prof at St Lawrence University
I taught myself crochet when I was on medical leave from long covid, mostly bed bound and wondering whether I would ever work again. About 18 months back to work and I’m wearing my first ever wearable crochet creation while teaching. So proud of my progress in lots of ways 🤩
November 10, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I taught myself crochet when I was on medical leave from long covid, mostly bed bound and wondering whether I would ever work again. About 18 months back to work and I’m wearing my first ever wearable crochet creation while teaching. So proud of my progress in lots of ways 🤩
My students came ready in Soc of Education today! Passionate and critical debates about my university’s initiatives to reduce party culture on campus, despite the 8:50 AM start time.
I love teaching Paying for the Party and pro tip: schedule this discussion around Halloween 👻
I love teaching Paying for the Party and pro tip: schedule this discussion around Halloween 👻
November 3, 2025 at 4:26 PM
My students came ready in Soc of Education today! Passionate and critical debates about my university’s initiatives to reduce party culture on campus, despite the 8:50 AM start time.
I love teaching Paying for the Party and pro tip: schedule this discussion around Halloween 👻
I love teaching Paying for the Party and pro tip: schedule this discussion around Halloween 👻
In my DEI in Higher Education course I try different ways to combine theory, research, and practice. This week I invited our university Title IX coordinator to join our critical discussion of @nbedera.bsky.social’s On The Wrong Side. We all analyzed and learned so much together!
PS: GREAT book!
PS: GREAT book!
October 17, 2025 at 8:37 PM
In my DEI in Higher Education course I try different ways to combine theory, research, and practice. This week I invited our university Title IX coordinator to join our critical discussion of @nbedera.bsky.social’s On The Wrong Side. We all analyzed and learned so much together!
PS: GREAT book!
PS: GREAT book!
As someone who suffers from long covid it’s easy to focus on challenges. There are so many, especially while teaching. But today I’m going to celebrate an accomplishment: I can now call on all students by name in all my courses!
This seems small, but for me it’s a ray of joy.
This seems small, but for me it’s a ray of joy.
September 17, 2025 at 3:07 PM
As someone who suffers from long covid it’s easy to focus on challenges. There are so many, especially while teaching. But today I’m going to celebrate an accomplishment: I can now call on all students by name in all my courses!
This seems small, but for me it’s a ray of joy.
This seems small, but for me it’s a ray of joy.
This article is even worse than I expected. The professor literally just taught that more than two genders exist and there has been mass calling from the right for her firing, for a federal investigation, and removing her leadership who rightly said that she has the right to teach her expertise.
Texas A&M’s President just removed a dean and department head from their positions after they supported a professor whose lesson on gender was challenged by a student. www.kbtx.com/2025/09/09/a...
A&M Dean removed following student complaints over curriculum
The Department of Justice has also acknowledged the situation and said it would be investigating.
www.kbtx.com
September 9, 2025 at 11:34 AM
This article is even worse than I expected. The professor literally just taught that more than two genders exist and there has been mass calling from the right for her firing, for a federal investigation, and removing her leadership who rightly said that she has the right to teach her expertise.
I'm so excited for my new capstone course, DEI in Higher Education, to start this week! Extremely timely and thankful to be in a state that allows professors to actually teach about important topics like these.
Preview to the first day of class slides...
Preview to the first day of class slides...
August 25, 2025 at 1:10 PM
I'm so excited for my new capstone course, DEI in Higher Education, to start this week! Extremely timely and thankful to be in a state that allows professors to actually teach about important topics like these.
Preview to the first day of class slides...
Preview to the first day of class slides...
I was outraged to hear about the atrocious new laws in SO MANY red states while talking to colleagues at ASA this year. As you begin a new semester under increasingly repressive and fascist conditions, I send you all the best of luck. The work you do is so important.
August 18, 2025 at 6:11 PM
I was outraged to hear about the atrocious new laws in SO MANY red states while talking to colleagues at ASA this year. As you begin a new semester under increasingly repressive and fascist conditions, I send you all the best of luck. The work you do is so important.
Starting my 6th year as faculty and I guess I'm moving up in the world because I'm joining the IRB!
I'm excited for this new way to serve my university. As a liberal arts college it will be a great way to support student research and see what some of my colleagues across the university are up to!
I'm excited for this new way to serve my university. As a liberal arts college it will be a great way to support student research and see what some of my colleagues across the university are up to!
August 15, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Starting my 6th year as faculty and I guess I'm moving up in the world because I'm joining the IRB!
I'm excited for this new way to serve my university. As a liberal arts college it will be a great way to support student research and see what some of my colleagues across the university are up to!
I'm excited for this new way to serve my university. As a liberal arts college it will be a great way to support student research and see what some of my colleagues across the university are up to!
So so so so excited to be medically stable enough to attend a conference again. The #ASA2025 teaching and learning preconference was AMAZING and it’s already making me so thrilled for more panels, chats, and sociology!
August 8, 2025 at 10:03 PM
So so so so excited to be medically stable enough to attend a conference again. The #ASA2025 teaching and learning preconference was AMAZING and it’s already making me so thrilled for more panels, chats, and sociology!
I’m attending my first conference (ASA) since my long covid induced medical leave 1.5 yrs ago. I’m excited but nervous because I now get easily overstimulated which then sets off other symptoms. I plan to spend a lot of quiet time in my room between sessions— any other tips?
July 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I’m attending my first conference (ASA) since my long covid induced medical leave 1.5 yrs ago. I’m excited but nervous because I now get easily overstimulated which then sets off other symptoms. I plan to spend a lot of quiet time in my room between sessions— any other tips?
I’m creating an undergrad seminar with a scaffolded research paper. I’m considering having process based reflection check ins required for each component (what did well/poorly & lessons to carry forward). Would love to hear good/bad experiences doing something like this!
July 17, 2025 at 9:21 PM
I’m creating an undergrad seminar with a scaffolded research paper. I’m considering having process based reflection check ins required for each component (what did well/poorly & lessons to carry forward). Would love to hear good/bad experiences doing something like this!
Job alert! Anyone know someone interested in being a high school Spanish teacher at one of the top private schools in South Carolina? Hilton Head Prep, blocks from the beach, is looking to hire and interested in reviewing candidates ASAP.
July 1, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Job alert! Anyone know someone interested in being a high school Spanish teacher at one of the top private schools in South Carolina? Hilton Head Prep, blocks from the beach, is looking to hire and interested in reviewing candidates ASAP.
I'm writing a book proposal and I want to hire a developmental editor for the proposal and eventual manuscript. The book's vision is a general audience book about how different types of students can succeed in US colleges (using longitudinal interviews)
All suggestions welcome!
All suggestions welcome!
June 23, 2025 at 2:19 PM
I'm writing a book proposal and I want to hire a developmental editor for the proposal and eventual manuscript. The book's vision is a general audience book about how different types of students can succeed in US colleges (using longitudinal interviews)
All suggestions welcome!
All suggestions welcome!
South Carolina is thought of as staunchly conservative but my hometown showed up today! Hundreds lined both sides of the major road and received major support from honking cars. #NoKingsDay
June 14, 2025 at 7:28 PM
South Carolina is thought of as staunchly conservative but my hometown showed up today! Hundreds lined both sides of the major road and received major support from honking cars. #NoKingsDay
Ah, course evaluations, the time when a few students each semester claim that in my courses about inequality everything is too one-sided because we talk too much about...inequality!
June 6, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Ah, course evaluations, the time when a few students each semester claim that in my courses about inequality everything is too one-sided because we talk too much about...inequality!
Strategically, attacking Harvard is dumb. They have endless $ and resources. A more strategic approach would attack low resource unis who struggle to fight back. Once policies were accepted enough places, it would be harder to stop. Thank goodness these decisions are just vibes.
May 23, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Strategically, attacking Harvard is dumb. They have endless $ and resources. A more strategic approach would attack low resource unis who struggle to fight back. Once policies were accepted enough places, it would be harder to stop. Thank goodness these decisions are just vibes.
Course enrollment is complete and I can officially say I'll be teaching my new undergrad seminar in fall 2025: DEI in Higher Education! It's going to be so interesting and I am very thankful to be working at a university supportive of courses like this!
April 21, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Course enrollment is complete and I can officially say I'll be teaching my new undergrad seminar in fall 2025: DEI in Higher Education! It's going to be so interesting and I am very thankful to be working at a university supportive of courses like this!
There is a crisis in higher education: our students are seeing their visas revoked without warning or reason. Any universities who naively think that complying with this admin's requests will prevent it from happening to their students are still seeing their names on this map.
April 14, 2025 at 12:33 PM
There is a crisis in higher education: our students are seeing their visas revoked without warning or reason. Any universities who naively think that complying with this admin's requests will prevent it from happening to their students are still seeing their names on this map.
I'm creating a list of possible external reviewers for my tenure case in the fall. I need sociologists of higher education who are tenured, ideally at liberal arts colleges. I welcome any suggestions of names and/or a way to generate a possible list of names.
April 8, 2025 at 6:54 PM
I'm creating a list of possible external reviewers for my tenure case in the fall. I need sociologists of higher education who are tenured, ideally at liberal arts colleges. I welcome any suggestions of names and/or a way to generate a possible list of names.
Yesterday I taught history of LGBT family, including anti-sodomy laws. My classroom was shook: how could they enforce that? Why did they care? Why was that anyone’s business?
We’re only 22 years since the Supreme Court struck it down. Less than 10 years since marriage equality.
We’re only 22 years since the Supreme Court struck it down. Less than 10 years since marriage equality.
April 3, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Yesterday I taught history of LGBT family, including anti-sodomy laws. My classroom was shook: how could they enforce that? Why did they care? Why was that anyone’s business?
We’re only 22 years since the Supreme Court struck it down. Less than 10 years since marriage equality.
We’re only 22 years since the Supreme Court struck it down. Less than 10 years since marriage equality.
Most years I genuinely don't mind paying taxes. I'm proud to support social services, research, national parks, and more.
I hate that this year we are still obligated to pay our taxes when the executive is actively refusing to spend the money and destroying these initiatives.
I hate that this year we are still obligated to pay our taxes when the executive is actively refusing to spend the money and destroying these initiatives.
March 28, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Most years I genuinely don't mind paying taxes. I'm proud to support social services, research, national parks, and more.
I hate that this year we are still obligated to pay our taxes when the executive is actively refusing to spend the money and destroying these initiatives.
I hate that this year we are still obligated to pay our taxes when the executive is actively refusing to spend the money and destroying these initiatives.
Sociologists ruin everything.
Me: my sister is having a baby on Friday!!
My students: Cool! Does she know if it’s a boy or a girl?
Me: she knows the ultrasounds show a penis.
Me: my sister is having a baby on Friday!!
My students: Cool! Does she know if it’s a boy or a girl?
Me: she knows the ultrasounds show a penis.
March 10, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Sociologists ruin everything.
Me: my sister is having a baby on Friday!!
My students: Cool! Does she know if it’s a boy or a girl?
Me: she knows the ultrasounds show a penis.
Me: my sister is having a baby on Friday!!
My students: Cool! Does she know if it’s a boy or a girl?
Me: she knows the ultrasounds show a penis.
Next week my university is hosting diversity and inclusion week with a full schedule of events related to Black History Month and Women's History Month. I am damn proud that we, as our uni president says, "stand firm in our institutional mission and the values we have held for nearly 170 years."
February 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Next week my university is hosting diversity and inclusion week with a full schedule of events related to Black History Month and Women's History Month. I am damn proud that we, as our uni president says, "stand firm in our institutional mission and the values we have held for nearly 170 years."
Some days I’m able to engage in the cognitive dissonance needed to pretend that my job, country, and democracy are not facing an existential threat.
Other days I give into the feeling that nothing I do matters. It’s amazing how much more I feel this way the bigger my grading pile grow
Other days I give into the feeling that nothing I do matters. It’s amazing how much more I feel this way the bigger my grading pile grow
February 26, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Some days I’m able to engage in the cognitive dissonance needed to pretend that my job, country, and democracy are not facing an existential threat.
Other days I give into the feeling that nothing I do matters. It’s amazing how much more I feel this way the bigger my grading pile grow
Other days I give into the feeling that nothing I do matters. It’s amazing how much more I feel this way the bigger my grading pile grow
Very timely and important survey! Quick to complete to get opinions from across academia. I’m excited to see the results. I know I enjoyed dumping all my existential dread.
1: #AcademicSky #PsychSciSky #LatinX/einSTEM #QueerSTEM #Science
Please share!
I'm running a survey on how *U.S.* academics (grad students, faculty, admin., etc) think and feel about recent executive orders affecting academia (e.g., diversity, funding). Here
iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Please share!
I'm running a survey on how *U.S.* academics (grad students, faculty, admin., etc) think and feel about recent executive orders affecting academia (e.g., diversity, funding). Here
iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
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February 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Very timely and important survey! Quick to complete to get opinions from across academia. I’m excited to see the results. I know I enjoyed dumping all my existential dread.