Daring dean occasionally seen in a university town (8)
I believe the answer is:
audacity
'daring' is the definition.
(audacity is a kind of daring)
'dean occasionally seen in a university town' is the wordplay.
'occasionally seen' means one should take alternating letters (letters taken on occasion).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'university' becomes 'U' (abbreviation as in UMass).
'town' becomes 'city' (city is a type of town).
The alternate letters of 'dean' are 'da'.
'a'+'u'+'city'='aucity'
'da' going within 'aucity' is 'AUDACITY'.
(Other definitions for audacity that I've seen before include "Cheek, nerve" , "Temerity" , "Boldness - such nerve!" , "Aggressive boldness" , "Brass neck, boldness" .)