This dissertation is a qualitative inquiry that explores the faculty perspectives of institutional expectations at a university seeking to rise in research ranking. This study was initiated with the intent to synthesize the literature to understand the reasons why doctoral universities seek to increase their research ranking, as well as the experiences of faculty within this setting. In this study, the lived experiences of 16 research faculty members are explored at a single university that is aspiring to increase its Carnegie classification to R1, a very high research ranked institution, by collecting and examining their perspectives on their institution's changes concerning their roles as faculty members. Faculty shared the changes that they perceive in their roles and responsibilities, their experiences within these institutional changes, and the support faculty expect in meeting the restructured institutional expectations of a doctoral research university attempting to transition to a national research university. The method of inquiry was in-depth, semi-structured interviews that enabled the researcher to extract the lived experiences of its participants. Once transcribed, grounded theory methods, including open, axial, and selective coding, were used to organize, cross-examine, and identify common themes and major findings from these faculty interviews. Major findings of this study included: (1) confirmation of the university's journey to research prominence; (2) faculty suggestions of what is needed for the university to achieve an R1 ranking; (3) an in-depth review of the support needed for faculty to reach these goals; (4) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on time available for research productivity; and (5) the long-term opportunities provided as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this research are comprehensive and contribute to the existing base of educational leadership literature. This research brought forth a further understanding of the faculty perspectives of institutional expectations at a university seeking to rise in research ranking. Higher educational leaders will find this research useful in helping understand, investigate, and implement strategies to reach both immediate and long-term aspirations at their universities. [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/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]