Any time a bunch of actual experts put their heads together to tackle a complex issue, right wingers crawl out of the woodwork to shit on it, discredit the science and the people doing it. The cry of DEI is just one of the newer forms of this tactic. My state is governed by magats who wield power over the university's board of trustees. They have cut numerous degree programs under the pretext of not having enough yearly graduates, the majority of which happen to be DEI-related programs. Professors were forbidden to speak ill of the president or JD Vance, or mention the Charlie Kirk assassination. My professor for the interdisciplinary seminar was a multi-certified DEI specialist who was basically hobbled and had to cleverly set up discussions about these things between us students to get around these draconian restrictions.

Fascists don't want intelligent, educated people to collaborate.