About 15 fraternities are struggling to raise money required to install new fire-safety systems required by the Centre Region Code Administration, said Ben Jabara, Interfraternity Council president.

Fraternity houses have until Sept. 1, 2008, to install sprinkler systems, fire inspector Shawn Kauffman said. If a fraternity does not have an up-to-date fire-safety system, "the housing ordinance will be revoked and the property cannot be rented," Tim Knisely, senior fire and housing inspector, said.

Anthony Ling, president of Delta Theta Sigma fraternity, 101 N. Patterson St., said the renovations will cost more than $80,000.

"We live in a pretty big house, and we have to do a lot of tearing out walls to get [the sprinkler system] where it needs to be," Ling said.

Ling said the age of the house also makes it difficult to renovate.

"I'm not sure when the house was built, but I know the fraternity purchased it in 1958," he said. "It's older than that, though."

Ling said if his fraternity cannot raise enough money to install the sprinkler system, he's not sure what will happen.

"The borough mandates rental housing has to have it, so I guess we'd have to close down the place," he said.

Ling said he knows of some fraternities that already have their new sprinkler systems installed.

"It's just a matter of getting the financial backing," he said.

Jabara said the Interfraternity Council is working with the State College Borough and the Fraternity Purchasing Association to "come up with more solutions."

Kevin Kerr, director of fraternity and sorority life, said fraternities are in various steps of installations.

"Some have been more organized than others," he said.

He said fraternities usually work with their alumni to raise funds for the renovations, but if they can't raise all of the money that way, then they have to have alternative fundraisers.

Ling said that Delta Theta Sigma alumni have contributed, but he isn't sure exactly how much. Delta Theta Sigma is holding a golf tournament on Aug. 14 to raise the remaining funds necessary to install a new sprinkler system in its fraternity house.

Deana Clester, golf tournament coordinator, said although golf tournaments of this size can raise up to $30,000, the fraternity is hoping to raise at least $10,000 at their first tournament.

"It's not enough for the new system, but it's a good start," she said.