Dowling College has announced it will officially close its doors for good.

The Dowling College Board of Trustees sent a letter to students and staff Wednesday.

The letter stated the Oakdale college will not appeal the decision of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to withdraw the college's accreditation effective Aug. 31.

Officials say many individuals and groups, including the Board of Trustees, the administration, the alumni association and local elected officials, sought to organize efforts to find resources in order to save the college. However, the efforts were not successful.

The announcement means some Long Island students will have to worry about where they will go to college in the fall.

Business leaders in the area say the college's closing could hurt the local economy as well.

"We've had plans to build a downtown and the biggest employer in town is Dowling," says Oakdale Chamber of Commerce President Ron Beattie. "Obviously that's going to affect our plans."