[1] Wethington graduated from St. Bernard High School in Clementsville, Kentucky, attended Brescia College from 1952 to 1954 and transferred to Eastern Kentucky University where he was graduated in 1956 with a B.A.
He then served on the faculty of UK and was an administrator at several levels in University of Kentucky's Community College System, the forerunner to the current Kentucky Community and Technical College System, culminating in his appointment as Chancellor for the Community College System.
He set out to raise the academic standards for admission and instruction at the university and was successful at this, evidenced by admissions test scores and national rankings for programs at the school.
[1] On June 30, 2001, Wethington stepped down as president and served for two years in a fundraising role for UK.
[1] The University of Kentucky opened the Charles T. Wethington Jr. Building in 2003, named in his honor.