A majority of the Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees approved censuring a trustee for what they deemed violations of board policy when she spoke at a Joliet City Council meeting.

The measure to censure Trustee Maureen Broderick passed in a 4-3 vote at Wednesday’s meeting, with Student Trustee Byron McCullum abstaining.

The board did not vote on two other censures against Broderick because they adjourned after a meeting that stretched from 5:30 p.m. to almost 10:55 p.m.

During the meeting, Broderick said she was tired of being the trustee who is “targeted for all these darn censures.”

“Everyone is looking at this as continuous harassment,” Broderick said.

The board has approved 18 censures against Broderick since 2024.

At the Nov. 12, 2025, meeting, the board approved returning Broderick to good standing after she was censured 15 times, but then approved two more censures against her at the same meeting.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the board approved censuring Broderick for identifying herself as a JJC trustee and stating “on behalf” of the board “its opposition to a matter on the city’s agenda” at the April 20 meeting before the Joliet City Council.

The censure item cites board policy that says only the board chairperson can make statements on behalf of the board, and individual trustees are required to refrain from speaking or acting on behalf of the board unless authorized to do so.

During the April 20 meeting, the city council was considering lifting a residency restriction for an apartment complex serving JJC students and others affiliated with the college.

At the meeting, Broderick began her remarks about the issue by saying she is a college trustee, and at least one council member had openly recognized her.

“It was only the [JJC] president and the attorney that have talked to the seller and the buyer situation. We did not, as the board, have anything to do with it. We just heard about it in our closed session,” Broderick said on April 20.

On Wednesday, Broderick said she was “speaking as myself.”

“You didn’t say that, though. You didn’t say you were there on your own as your own person,” JJC Trustee Alicia Morales said.

JJC Trustee Michelle Lee said Morales had spoken at a City Council meeting opposing the data center after a JJC official endorsed the project. She said if Broderick is censured, then Morales should be censured as well.

“This is a double standard,” Lee said.

Morales said she told the council that she is a trustee, but she was not there in that capacity.

“I live in Joliet, and I’m here to speak at my council meeting on a subject that is open to public comment, and I spoke as a private citizen,” Morales said.

Trustee Elaine Bottomley said she saw a “distinct difference” between someone making a comment during public comment as a citizen versus what she saw Broderick do at the April 20 council meeting.

“You stood up, you represented what your experience was in how we were or were not informed in this,” Bottomley said.

Broderick’s motion to table the vote on the censures was opposed by Bottomley, Morales, JJC Chairman Jim Budzinski and JJC Vice Chairwoman Nancy Garcia Guillen.

All four voted in favor of one censure, while Broderick, Lee and Trustee Diane Harris opposed it.

“Since this is another censure added to the 12 censures she currently has, I mean, it doesn’t matter. I would say no, because the others will still stand,” Harris said.

But Bottomley questioned censuring Broderick in light of the previous censures.

“They haven’t stopped anything. What’s going to be learned from this? Absolutely nothing. Is anything going to change? No. It is 10:50 p.m. We are on the first censure. We’re going to do this two more times,” Bottomley said.

Bottomley asked when trustees are “going to learn what appropriate behavior is.”

“The lack of decorum, the lack of respect we hold for each other? I’m ashamed. All of us should be ashamed,” Bottomley said.

Broderick said the censures against her keep bringing “negativity” to board members.

“Then change your behavior,” Budzinski said.

After the first censure vote, Bottomley motioned to adjourn the meeting, which was seconded by Broderick.