It has been a while since NIU has heard the ring of the Victory Bell.

This isn’t because we haven’t won any games; the bell simply has not been standing on NIU’s campus during the last few years.

Alpha Phi Omega (APO) bought the bell in 1958 from proceeds received from the penny voting event, “Ugliest Man on Campus.”

Students would walk by tables with cups and stick a nickel in the cup of the man they though was the ugliest.

The resulting bell would be rung after every NIU home game victory and after any victories concerning the United States of America.

From 1958 until 2004, the Victory Bell stood in the middle of Circle Drive in front of DuSable Hall.

Recently, the bell has been set up again for over $136,000.

Granted, the bell’s housing looks a lot nicer than its previous cedar, school-spirit red-and-black housing. But the previous housing was just that: school spirited.

“The reason we donated the bell is so students could have it for tradition,” said APO President Tom Heneghan.

Maybe it’s my memory, but I don’t remember hearing NIU ask students what they would like done with the bell.

As a student, I would have liked to put my two cents in on something that involves such a part of school tradition.

In the middle of campus, there was easy access to ring the bell after a winning game or any NIU victory.

That tradition of the bell’s location ends with its new location.

The Convocation Center is not a place most students go to congregate every day.

Don’t get me wrong; the bell’s housing is nice. It will look good in front of the convocation center for graduation ceremonies or when people come in from out of town to see a concert.

But, do students really just want the bell to look nice?

The Convocation Center really is not the typical NIU entrance spot, either.

“I kind of see why they put [the Victory Bell] up by the Convocation Center,” Heneghan said, “They put so much weight into the Convocation Center, but we had no idea. It’s their decision ultimately, because APO donated the bell to the school.”

I am glad that the bell is standing again.

I hope I get to hear it ring after our next win.