With the intent of presenting significant items on the subject rather than an exhaustive listing, a thorough examination was made of entries on the role of the community college division/department chairperson catalogued over the last 11 years by Education Index, Resources in Education, Current Index to Journals in Education, and Dissertation Abstracts. Although the bibliography focuses on the role of the community college chairperson, a number of documents include references to selection and appointment procedures, the role of the chairperson in the secondary school or four-year college, and items developing out of, and indigeneous to, the two-year college. The major variables in the role of the chairperson are seen to be the chairperson himself, the scope of his responsibilities, the extent of his authority, his effectiveness, and the perceptions he, his faculty, and his supervisors have of his position. Major problems facing the chairperson are the ambiguity of his role, lack of training and orientation among those who hold the position, confusion about the nature of the position, often created by the advent of collective bargaining, and lack of general support from upper echelon administrators. Present research suggests that the position and nature of the chairperson's role will not change significantly over the next five years. (NHM)