[pyrale]

> Is this not a chance to improve a rather ancient and clumsy system?

I seriously doubt that there is any will to improve the system.

> My understanding is the grants you're talking about are generally for small student salaries as they work on a given project simultaneously with their continued education.

Grants cover a much larger part of the work at labs. Basically, a grant could be paying anything except tenured salaries and administrative costs.