The University's Office of Information Technology (OIT), which issued its first-ever long-range report earlier this week, has become the central planner in Harvard's effort to update computer and data transfer capabilities, officials said yesterday.

Made public on Monday, that report touched lightly on several long-range plans made by the OIT to upgrade computers on campus within the next five to 10 years. The report also outlined the new "leadership" role the OIT--which is chiefly known for selling computers--will play in guiding the University to that future.

According to the report, which is the first indication of the new planning mission of the OIT, the office will set standards for equipment used throughout the campus. It will also advise the various faculties on security measures for these centralized informational systems and take responsibility for establishing these networks.

Citing a meeting between OIT administrators, Vice President for Administration Robert H. Scott and President Bok, the 16-page "abridged" report announced that the OIT has "recently redrafted its mission."

"OIT's traditional role has been to provide cost-effective information technology-based services to the campus community. Our role is changing, however, as technology use becomes more widespread, as technology expenditures increase, and as our customers see needs for change and seek advice," the report said.

The "new focus" of the OIT came about as the University slowly recognized the need for a "leadership role from a centralized position which can look across the entire landscape" of Harvard, said Ronald L. Orcutt, associate director in charge of planning at OIT.

"By showing competence, enough people believe that OIT can implement a University network," Orcutt said.

"OIT is now in the business of helping people plan their future," Scott said about the change in the mission of the office. He added that the change has been contemplated for a long time.

The OIT will use its new central role to assist faculties, which have had difficulties in implementing their own computer systems, by developing ways that technology can be used for a broad range of scholarly and administrative purposes, officials said.

Among the long-range plans already outlined in the OIT report are:

the laying down of new cables to improve the capacity of Harvard to transfer computer information throughout the campus;

the creation of a data base which would allow various administrators to tap into

a centralized collection of official