ROCKVILLE, Md. – The president of Maryland’s largest community college is taking heat after a television investigation exposed her lavish spending on travel and luxury accommodations, as well as other costly perks.

NBC Washington received numerous complaints from Montgomery College students and staff about the spending habits of president DeRionne Pollard and reporters sifted through her contract and travel expense account to expose how she uses taxpayer dollars.

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Pollard, who receives a $281,000 annual salary and $3,000 per month housing allowance, spent a total of $160,000 on travel, transportation and meals since 2013, and an additional $70,000 on private security, according to the news station.

The expenses stem from Pollard’s contract, which sets her pay and possible 5 percent bonus, and stipulates that the college’s Board of Trustees must cover all of her work-related travel, as well as her wife’s travel expenses when she tags along.

“The records show Dr. Pollard spent more than $70,000 since 2013 traveling to cities like Napa, California; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and almost 40 other destinations, averaging 13 trips per year within the last two years,” NBC Washington reports.

The hotel charges included a five-day stay for $1,792 at the Marriott Wardman, located about 20 miles from her home. Pollard also charged $2,776 for a stay at the Moana Surfrider in Honolulu, Hawaii and $2,753 at the Four Seasons in Austin, Texas on back to back trips in the summer of 2015. That excursion also came with a $3,400 charge to upgrade seats on the flight for Pollard and her wife, as well as an extra $495 in extra luggage fees, according to the news site.

Some of the 56,000 Montgomery College students who are working hard to scrape up $2,000 each semester to attend were livid over Pollard’s spending.

“That’s ridiculous,” student Thomas Linonetti said. “It should go back here to the people who are actually paying, the professors who are working hard.”

School records showed Pollard’s travel costs at home are also very expensive.

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Montgomery College not only pays her $850 per month to lease an Infiniti Q70 and covers all gas, maintenance, parking and insurance costs, Pollard’s contract also allows her to charge a car service to the college.

“A 15-mile ride to D.C.’s public radio station WAMU-FM, when Dr. Pollard was interviewed by radio host Kojo Nnamdi about how many of her students rely on federal Pell grants and how to make community college more affordable, cost $292,” NBC Washington reports.

Pollard used the car service at least 40 times, a cost on top of the roughly $45,000 in vehicle expenses since 2013.

Pollard upgraded to an armored transport in February, and at $52 per hour for 10 to 15 hours per day is racking up another $10,000 per month at taxpayer expense.

A college spokesman initially agreed to discuss the expenses in an on-camera interview with NBC Washington then reversed course.

College officials told the news site the armed guard was necessary because of “credible threats” made against Pollard, but provided scant evidence to back up the claim, pointing to an incident involving a homeless man on campus and a racial slur against Pollard six years ago.

The exorbitant spending is certainly not unique to Montgomery College. EAGnews has uncovered similar trends involving six-figure travel accounts for K-12 public school officials to attend educational conferences at luxury retreats, where they often rack up other charges on five-star meals, shuttle services, and other expenses.

Pollard released a statement about the news broadcast that claims it failed to provide context for the charges, and champions her work on “fundraising, grant proposals, and partnerships with national and international institutions and industries.”

“I do travel regularly to attend conferences hosted by organizations such as the American Association of Community Colleges; Black, Brown & College Bound; and the Association of Community College Trustees, among others. The topics of these meetings have included issues relevant to our mission, such as closing the achievement gap, economic and workforce development, institutional transformation, contemporary issues in higher education, and much more. These topics are critical to student success and require our attention,” she wrote.

The very long statement also attempted to justify the spending by highlighting grants and student scholarships Pollard helped to acquire for students, as well as the board of trustees’ support for her spending.

“The College’s Board of Trustees has communicated to me that it has the utmost confidence in me and my leadership team,” Pollard wrote. “The board believes the news story was based on an antiquated view of community colleges and failed to appreciate such college’s complex, 21^st century mission.”

Regardless of the excuses and justifications, students are not impressed by Pollard’s spending habits.

“We’re all working towards paying the tuition,” student Maiyra Holmes said. “And the fact she has all this money is ridiculous.”