________ I started at Revelle in September 1967 , at the same time Paul did . He challenged me intellectually , but most of all , he helped me grow as a human being . I hope these anecdotes are helpful in painting a picture of Paul :
His rule for grading tests ? Test hard , grade easy .
When he was quite ill and hospitalized as a result of a surfing accident , I was a young medical student and went to see him . He gave me his lunch just as the chairman of surgery walked in . Paul said it was OK because I was his son , gaining a doubtful scowl from the surgeon .
When he was Acting Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs , he went to a UC Regents meeting . He returned very proud of himself for speaking what he was sure were the first words of Yiddish ever spoken at a Regents meeting . He tried to teach me Yiddish and would introduce me as “ My son , the docta .”
The day before he died , we talked on the phone . He said , cheerily , “ I ’ ll call you tomorrow .” — Jess Boyer ’ 71 , MD ’ 74 Revelle College , Chemistry
________ Did you hear the story about Saltman being a contestant on the Groucho Marx quiz show , You Bet Your Life ? This was 1950s black-and-white TV . He was quite a young man with a good sense of humor and could keep up with Groucho . — Mac Perry ’ 68 Revelle College , History
“ I worked in Paul ’ s lab for two summers . Nearly every day , he would come by the lab around 4 p . m . and we would go to Black ’ s Beach and surf until dark . Sometimes we would walk down the hill , and sometimes we would drive . Paul had a key to the gate .”
— Jess Boyer ’ 71 , MD ’ 74
________ Back in the day , the late sixties that is , Paul Saltman and I had clashed often enough that we were on a first-name basis . He was provost of Revelle College , and I was a loudmouth student activist , class of ’ 69 . Our relationship was generally cordial , if adversarial , and the college was still small enough that students , faculty and the administration interacted pretty casually . One warm summer afternoon , probably in 1971 , a bunch of us shaggy ne ’ er-do-wells were hanging out on campus during the rather perfunctory commencement ceremony and decided to join in on the fun . Most likely , we were in jeans and T-shirts , shoes optional . Before the procession across the platform , there were the requisite speeches . I remember Dr . Saltman ’ s speech being rather self-laudatory , mostly highlighting his accomplishments as provost .
So , when I went up to be recognized , I shook his hand and said , “ That was a pretty lousy speech , Paul .” He just smiled and said , “ I know .” That may have been the last conversation we ever had . — Tom Baer ’ 72 Revelle College , Philosophy
MARX : What ’ s the difference between an associate professor and a full professor ? SALTMAN : About $ 2,500 a year .
30 TRITON | WINTER 2022