However, with the impact of democratic thought, contradictions emerged. Yale, which was established based upon Protestant creeds, could on no count accept the thought. The result was that in 1817，conflicts escalated. The Connecticut government made new policies, on the on hand to approve the establishment of new colleges to compete with Yale, and on the other hand, it ended federal funding to Yale. Again Yale was up a tree for lack of capital. Just then, Yale found an effective way to raise funds, that is, to turn to its alumni.
然而，受到民主思潮的冲击，矛盾出现了；以新教教义为精神而创建的耶鲁无论如何也无法接受这种思潮。其结果就是在1817年，冲突升级，康州政府制订了新的政策， 一方面批准建立新的学校与耶鲁竞争，另一方面停止了对耶鲁的资助。耶鲁再次陷人资金短缺的困境。而正是那时，耶鲁发现了一条有效的筹资途径，那就是向校友求助。

In 1827, Yale alumni association was set up and managed to raise funds. Then, in 1890, the Yale Alumni Fund was chartered by the Yale Corporation. The Fund has since become the vehicle for the most successful giving records. To meet the broad and varied interests and concerns of Yale alumni, the Yale Alumni Board was chartered in 1906. Its task was to create a central alumni group for an exchange of views between the University and her alumni. As alumni interests grew, so did the size of the Alumni Board, which diminished the Board's effectiveness. So the Association of Yale Alumni (AYA) was born. The AYA provides a channel for communication between the alumni or the University, oversees the direction of alumni organizations and programs, provides the means for examination of University policies and maintains the stature of Yale University. AYA Assembly happens semi-annually.
1827年，耶鲁成立了校友会并成功筹集到资金。后来，耶鲁集团又于1890年特许建立了耶鲁校友基金会，此基金会为以后的许多成功捐赠提供了媒介。随着校友利益及利害关系趋于多样化，1906年，耶鲁校友董事会成立了；该董事会的职责就是为学校与校友交流观点提供一个核心校友团体。随着校友间利益关系的日益复杂化，董事会的规模也越来越大, 这大大削弱了董事会的运作效率。因此, 耶鲁大学校友协会(简 称AYA)诞生了。它不仅为校友和学校之间的交流提供平台，监督各校友组织及项目的活动，还负责审查学校的各项政策，维持耶鲁大学的品质。耶鲁校友协会的集会每半年举行一次。
For 300 years, people at Yale have been able to adhere to the spirit of independence and are proud of not comprising to political pressure or material inducement. Now, with donations from her alumni, Yale has grown to be a successful independent university and ranks among the world's best universities.
300年来，耶鲁人一直坚持独立精神，并且因不向外来的政治压力及物质利诱妥协而自豪。如今，凭借校友的捐赠，耶鲁大学已经成长为一所成功的私立学校，跻身世界名校之列。