After completing his military service, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in political science from the University of California, Riverside in 1955.

[6] Under his leadership as chancellor from 1968 to 1997, UCLA became one of the top 10 research universities in the country, student enrollment increased from almost 29,000 to more than 35,000,[7] and the number of faculty doubled.

[11] Academic milestones during Young's tenure include UCLA's admission to membership in the Association of American Universities (1974), a top five ranking of graduate programs from the Conference Board of the Associated Research Councils (1982),[12][13] and a number three ranking among university research libraries (1994–95).

[15] Faculty recognition included a Nobel Prize in Chemistry (Donald Cram, 1987), six National Medal of Science recipients (1970, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1996), and four MacArthur Foundation Fellows (1985, 1986, 1994, 1995).

[22] In 1978, he announced a joint program with Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science to train physicians to work in the inner city.

[29][30] In 1988, Young helped to negotiate a lucrative ABC television contract for the Rose Bowl game.

"It has been the long-term goal of UCLA to build the finest arts program of any major research university in the country", Young said.

[39] That year Young hosted President Bill Clinton at a convocation celebrating UCLA's 75th anniversary.

Young was a strong supporter and adviser to the arts, business, education, finance, technology and health care industries.

These boards include Intel Corp., Nicholas-Applegate Capital Management, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation, and the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

[44] He initially served on an interim basis, but his popularity with the faculty and University of Florida Trustees led to a permanent appointment.

[48][49] In that capacity, Young oversaw the museum's business operations while a separate director was responsible for artistic decisions.

[51] The Los Angeles Times wrote: "If anything made his reputation, it was his defense of acting professor Angela Davis, a Communist whose politics drew the ire of UC regents.

"[52] In 1993 a 14-day hunger strike in support of Chicano studies ended in a compromise solution, without official departmental status but with additional resources and a new name, the Cesar Chavez Center.

"The result is that UCLA enrolls the highest qualified students from all ethnic groups, all income levels, all family backgrounds, all life experiences," he said.

"Charles E. Young, president of the University of Florida, was the loudest dissenting voice to [Jeb] Bush's plan.

Young believed the policy was being imposed for entirely political reasons and was developed rapidly without involvement from those in the education community.