With the fate of the presidency hanging on the outcome of Florida's 25 electoral votes, professors and students are weighing in on the debate over the Electoral College.

If Texas Gov. George W. Bush takes Florida and its 25 Electoral College votes, he will win the presidency, even though current counts show him behind Vice President Al Gore '69 in the popular vote.

This has led many, including newly elected New York Senator-elect Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) to call for abolishing the Constitutionally created body.

But there are powerful arguments for retaining the Electoral College, even though it may elect a president against the nation's popular will, note several professors of government.

"Without the Electoral College, candidates would be inclined to spend most of their time in heavily-populated urban areas trying to pile up a huge number of votes," said Mickey Edwards, John Quincy Adams lecturer of legislative politics at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG).

"Smaller states with very important issues wouldn't get any attention," he said.

"Our system is not based on majority rule, and it never has been. It's based on protecting minority rights," Edwards added.

But these days, it seems that the Electoral College has ceased to serve its purpose.