There is a power in specialization which is denied to small organizations. A distributive technical support system can bring that power to tribal colleges. The absence of a distributive technical support system can leave tribal colleges in a perpetually weak competitive position. There is also a power in collaborative efforts. Civilization was not invented by a few brilliant individuals.
Civilization is a social invention.
The great promise of the Internet is that it enhances our ability to work cooperatively with others. The Internet has the power to bring together widely scattered small weak groups and create a more powerful group which benefits all of its' members. The possibilities for rewarding collaboration go far beyond technical support systems. But it falls to the technical people to show their peers in the tribal colleges how it is done, and ultimately help them do it in their fields. There are only a limited number of homesteads available in the promise land.