California's fiscal crisis is more severe than those of past decades and as a result, the State's community colleges have experienced substantial cuts to their budgets. Multiple reductions in funding since 2008 have forced colleges to scale back their course offerings, reduce personnel, and limit student services. This lack of funding has created a dislodging event that has brought underlying issues to the surface and created new problems for leaders navigating this environment. This qualitative multi-case study examines presidential leadership in the midst of such conditions and documents the various challenges California community colleges face during an economic downturn. It identifies the unintended consequences of the state's legislation and funding model. The threat to the community college mission, prompted by the fiscal crisis and exacerbated by legislative boundaries, collective bargaining, and accreditation standards, is explored through the experiences of community college leaders. This study also identifies how the fiscal crisis is changing what was once an exemplary approach to securing democracy through the education of a mass populous and how those changes are negatively impacting the role of the California community college president. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]