Although UF has no official plans to for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration Tuesday, student groups will be holding viewings and other events on campus.
Obama will take office as the 44th president of the United States on Jan. 20 at noon.
"It's just not an event we planned for," UF spokseman Aaron Hoover said.
Hoover said he could not cite a specific reason for the lack of a university-sponsored celebration.
There are, however, other on-campus options for celebrating the historic event.
A screening of the inauguration, complete with free food, will be held at the Orange & Brew. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the Reitz Union Web site.
If there is overflow, the inauguration may also be shown in room 282 of the Reitz Union, Hoover said.
The Reitz Union is funded by Student Government, according to its Web site.
Eric Conrad, former co-chapter coordinator for UF Students for Barack Obama, said the celebration at the Orange & Brew will be the place to be for student democrats come Tuesday.
"Some groups were trying to plan stuff on their own, but as soon as we knew the Reitz Union Board was planning something, we jumped on board," Conrad said.
Conrad said UF's decision not to host additional screenings of the noon-time inauguration is understandable and is "really more a symptom of the timing."
In addition to the party at the Orange & Brew, Jan. 20, 2009 was deemed "Barack Obama Day" in a Student Senate resolution passed at the first meeting of the spring semester.
Still, the inaugural efforts by students and the university pale in comparison to the enthusiasm that surrounded the presidential election.
This change in UF students' political interest was inevitable because there are no more unknowns, said Jacob Brandt, a UF anthropology junior.
"After the election, it's like a waiting period," Brandt said. "Inauguration is just telling people what they already know."
Katie Perez, an advertising junior, agreed that there hasn't been much buzz about the event around campus, but said she was surprised UF isn't planning anything for the event.
"I actually kind of find that strange," she said. "I would think that there would be a lot more involvement and awareness."
