Penn State University Police are investigating a suspected arson they believe might be related to 20 incidents of on-campus vandalism committed early Sunday morning.

The word "tang" was spraypainted in orange on about 20 buildings on campus, including the inside of the new School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) building, where a fire caused "tens of thousands of dollars" in damage at about 5 a.m. Sunday, Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said.

The graffiti and fire are likely related incidents, though police do not have any leads or suspects yet, he said.

"It seems like much more than a coincidence," Mahon said.

The cause of the fire is still not known, and no one from Alpha Fire Co. was available for comment last night.

"It wasn't a minor trash can fire," Mahon said. "On the other end, it didn't destroy the building either."

Old Main, the Willard Building, the Forum, the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, and the Pattee and Paterno libaries were among the buildings vandalized.

Mahon said officials do not know what the word "tang" means or why it was painted on the buildings.

The State College Police Department has not received any reports of graffiti on buildings downtown, Cpl. William Muse said.

"At this point we haven't been actively involved," he said.

Muse said the graffiti could be an act of "tagging," which is how graffiti artists indicate their signatures.

University Police declined to comment about the incidents yesterday.

However, Mahon said police are encouraging residents to look for anyone with orange paint on their body or clothes.

"The culprits or culprit might have orange paint on their fingers or hands or clothes," he said.

Police discovered evidence of blood on one of the doorway entrances to the SALA building, so a suspect could have been injured, Mahon said.

"Police are anxious to know if anybody would be aware of who might have done this," he said.

Anyone with information about the graffiti or fire is encouraged to call University Police at 863-1111.