The new lights on top of the remodeled Holmes Student Center were turned on for the first time Wednesday at a ceremony in the King Memorial Commons.

The ceremony featured NIU President John La Tourette and Student Association President Huda Scheidelman giving the signal to turn on the lights.

La Tourette said “I think they’re (the lights) quite impressive. The student turnout was wonderful.”

The four 400 watt bulbs adorning the student center’s gold pyramid are energy efficient and only cost “Eight and one half cents per hour” to operate.

“This (the ceremony ) is so cool,” said NIU graduate student Mark Mattson.

But NIU English Professor Mark Kipperman said “It’s (the student center) an ugly building, it’s always been an ugly building and it always will be an ugly building.”

Kipperman added, “The architects for this campus should be shot.”

NIU Junior Ray Reheyem said “So much love around such ugliness is just beautiful,” in reference to the ceremony.

Scheidelman said the ceremony was held to celebrate “A year of work,” on the project.

NIU student Tracy Breneman called the lights “ridiculous. I think they (the administration) have a really warped sense of priorities.”

The new lights will remain on between sunset and sunrise every night.

The 16-story tower underwent a year-long, $2.5 million facelift to replace falling bricks with a limestone-panel exterior.

The student center is a bond revenue building paid for through student and user fees, so no tax money was used for the the remodeling.

A reception was held in the Clara Sterling Skyroom before the ceremony for administrators and SA members.