Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Today NIU students, faculty, staff and alumni who graduated within the past several years are getting an early Christmas present: the reopening of Altgeld Hall.

After an extensive, overdue and pricey five-year renovation, the “castle on the hill” will finally reopen and shine as NIU’s landmark building.

For years NIU students weren’t allowed to step foot into the building that graces their NIU OneCards. The closest students came to seeing the real history of NIU was through chain-link fences that used to surround the building.

For years NIU staffers and administrators were trapped in a leaky, beaten-up – but still historic – work environment.

However, that all changes with today’s Altgeld rededication and State of the University address.

For years, the Northern Star -and most likely many other people on campus – have criticized why it’s taken so long and so much money to renovate and reopen the castle.

But one step inside the building will illuminate its grace and excellence and provide a sense of pride within anyone associated with NIU.

Now that Altgeld has reopened, members of both the NIU and DeKalb communities should waste no time venturing over to the 100-plus-year-old building to find out what NIU is really about: pride, history, education and merit.

We’ve waited five years … why waste another second?