UCLA Must Respond to Charges by June 26

UCLA has until June 26 to answer, in writing, allegations of violations involving its basketball program that were outlined in a letter of inquiry from the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. dated April 22.

The school’s responses will be considered by the NCAA’s committee on infractions during its August meeting. The NCAA specifically requested that UCLA basketball Coach Walt Hazzard be present at that meeting.

That information was included in the cover letter from David Berst, director of enforcement for the NCAA, to UCLA Chancellor Charles E. Young in April but was not made public until Thursday, when UCLA’s legal staff decided to let reporters see the letter.

The actual allegations are not included in the letter and are being kept confidential by the school’s investigative committee, but they are believed to include charges of recruiting violations reported by Sean Higgins, Fairfax High School star who was released from a letter of intent he signed with UCLA.